The South African Communist Party says economic policies of the African National Congress have not helped black people who remain the face of unemployment and poverty.

The party says even though there's been some change to the lives of South Africans the majority remain in abject poverty.

To change this the party not only wants to contest the 2026 local government elections but also wants its alliance partner, the ANC to consider changing economic policies that it says have not worked over the past 30 years.

Our reporter Dimakatso Leshoro attended the first day of the party's special congress and filed this report.