The South African Communist Party has intensified pressure on President Cyril Ramaphosa following a landmark Constitutional Court ruling that cleared the way for impeachment proceedings linked to the Phala Phala scandal.
Speaking at the party’s Chris Hani provincial commemoration in Bushbuckridge on Sunday, SACP Secretary-General Solly Mapaila said the impeachment process against Ramaphosa must be expedited, warning that delays could allow the Government of National Unity (GNU) to continue what he described as the “selling” of critical state infrastructure.
Mapaila accused the Government of National Unity of pursuing privatisation policies aimed at weakening state-owned entities, particularly Eskom.
“The GNU government wants to sell Eskom. They want to put Eskom in the market, and they think we don’t know that. They are collaborating with the IMF. That will never happen as long as we are alive in South Africa,” Mapaila told supporters.
His remarks come days after the Constitutional Court of South Africa ruled that Parliament acted unlawfully when it blocked an impeachment inquiry into Ramaphosa in 2022.
In a judgment delivered by Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, the apex court declared that the National Assembly’s handling of the matter was inconsistent with the Constitution and ordered Parliament to establish an impeachment committee to determine whether Ramaphosa is still fit to hold office.
The case was brought before the court jointly by the Economic Freedom Fighters and the African Transformation Movement after MPs voted against adopting an independent panel report that found there may have been grounds for Ramaphosa to answer for serious misconduct relating to the Phala Phala farm saga.
Mapaila welcomed the ruling, describing it as a victory for accountability and constitutional democracy.
“We welcome this Constitutional Court judgment. This impeachment must move fast because if it is delayed, we will have no government infrastructure, as everything would have been sold,” he said.
He also launched a fresh attack on Operation Vulindlela, a joint initiative between the Presidency and National Treasury aimed at accelerating economic reforms in sectors such as energy, transport and water.
According to Mapaila, private business interests have infiltrated the state through the programme and are influencing policy decisions for profit.
“There are people who have even been told to run Operation Vulindlela, business people. They are right inside the Presidency; they are sharing the resources of this country. It’s a new form of state capture, and they are now even selling water to the people,” he claimed.
The SACP has become increasingly critical of the ANC-led GNU since its formation after last year’s general elections. The Communist Party has repeatedly voiced concerns over the influence of business and market-driven reforms within government, arguing that they threaten the developmental role of the state.
Mapaila’s comments also come at a time of growing tensions between the SACP and the African National Congress over dual membership ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
The ANC’s National Executive Committee recently resolved to strictly enforce party constitutional provisions that prohibit members from belonging to or campaigning for another political party.
As a result, ANC members who also belong to the SACP have reportedly been instructed to declare, within 10 days, which organisation they intend supporting in the upcoming elections.
The SACP, which has announced plans to contest elections independently in some municipalities, has maintained that it will not be intimidated by the ANC’s decision.
Mapaila previously said the Communist Party would not engage in the “abuse” of the ANC but insisted that members with dual membership would ultimately have to choose sides as political contestation intensifies within the alliance.
