The South African Communist Party, SACP has removed ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe from its Central Committee, escalating tensions within the Tripartite Alliance. The decision follows the SACP's plan to contest the 2026 local elections independently, a move that has sparked sharp debate with the ANC. Mantashe, a long-time SACP member and current Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, downplayed the dismissal, but the ANC has warned that the SACP's actions could fracture their decades-long partnership. Elvis Presslin spoke to SACP spokesperson, Mbulelo Mandlana and ANCYL Spokesperson, Zama Khanyase