Anc Ally Sacp At Risk Of Deregistration As A Political Party

The Independent Electoral Commission IEC has issued notices of intention to cancel the registration of 192 political parties, including the South African Communist Party SACP .

In a media statement on Friday 14 March, the IEC said these parties have not renewed their registration as required by the Electoral Commission Act or have not contested general elections since they were registered.

According to the Act, parties that are not represented in any legislative body municipal council, provincial legislature or National Assembly must renew their registration annually. They must do so before 31 January each year.

The Electoral Commission has, in terms of section 17 of the Electoral Commission Act 51 of 1996, given due notice, in writing, to the 192 political parties of its intention to cancel their registration, the IEC said.

These parties have until 24 March 2025 to make representations.

The Commission shared a list of the parties it issued notices to . It includes the SACP and other parties that are largely unknown.

Given increased contestation in elections and the ever-increasing entrance of new political parties, it is crucial that the register of parties is kept current and those parties with no intention of contesting future elections are deregistered, the IEC said.

It is also important to correct the artificial size of the register and avoid unnecessary confusion for voters. Moreover, the cancellation of inactive parties will free the usage of names, abbreviated names and colour schemes for the logos of aspirant real contestants.

Founded in 1921, the SACP is one of South Africas oldest parties. As a key ally of the African National Congress ANC, it has not contested national or provincial elections since 1994 and has instead backed the ANC.

In 2017, it fielded candidates for the first time in a by-election in Metsimaholo, Free State.