By Zuko Komisa
Solly Mapaila has been elected unopposed as the new general secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) at the party’s 15th national congress in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg.
He succeeds Blade Nzimande, the party’s first deputy general secretary for 25 years.
Nzimande, a former general secretary of the SACP is now the party’s new national chairperson.
He beat his rival Gweba Qonde with 266 votes against 148 votes.
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The new General Secretary of the South African Communist Party, Comrade Solly Mapaila, as elected by the SACP 15th National Congress. #SACP15thCongress @SACPCongress2022 #SACP15thNationalCongress pic.twitter.com/Od1C8nLJFu
— SACP (@SACP1921) July 15, 2022
Mapaila served as the ANC’s second deputy general secretary from 2012 to 2017 and is a component of its military wing, Umkhonto weSizwe.
He once demanded that former president Jacob Zuma step down and has been outspoken in his opposition to corruption.
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