Solly Mapaila Explained

Solly Mapaila
Office:14th General Secretary of the South African Communist Party
Term Start:15 July 2022
1Blankname:First Deputy
1Namedata:Madala Masuku
2Blankname:Second Deputy
2Namedata:David Masondo
Predecessor:Blade Nzimande
Office1:First Deputy General Secretary of the South African Communist Party
Term Start1:July 2017
Term End1:July 2022
1Blankname1:General Secretary
1Namedata1:Blade Nzimande
Predecessor1:Jeremy Cronin
Successor1:Madala Masuku
Office2:Second Deputy General Secretary of the South African Communist Party
Term Start2:July 2012
Term End2:July 2017
1Blankname2:General Secretary
1Namedata2:Blade Nzimande
Predecessor2:Jeremy Cronin
Successor2:Chris Matlhako
Party:South African Communist Party
Otherparty:African National Congress

Solly Afrika Mapaila is a South African politician who is the General Secretary of the South African Communist Party. He was elected unopposed on 15 July 2022 in his current position at the SACP National Congress.[1] Solly Mapaila was appointed as the Second Deputy General Secretary of the South African Communist Party in 2012.[2] [3]

Career

Mapaila was a member of Umkhonto weSizwe and operated outside of South Africa prior to 1994.[2] On returning to South Africa in 1994, he was integrated into the South African Defence Force and stationed at Thaba Tshwane.[2]

He is a critic of corruption in the African National Congress and the South African government,[4] and of the leadership of former South African president, Jacob Zuma.[5] [6] A group of Zuma supporters threatened to open criminal charges against him if he continued to say that the president is corrupt.[7]

Mapaila directly questioned the purported intelligence report titled "Operation Checkmate" used by President Jacob Zuma to fire the former Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan.[8] He led calls from within the Tripartite Alliance for the resignation of President Jacob Zuma.[9]

Mapaila was considered a leading candidate to succeed Blade Nzimande as general secretary of the SACP for a number of years and was ultimately elected to this position in 2022.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Khumalo . Juniour . Solly Mapaila elected unopposed as SACP general secretary as Nzimande becomes chair . 2023-06-07 . News24 . en-US.
  2. Web site: SACP's 'Comrade Crackdown' takes control . 2017-02-10 .
  3. Web site: South African Communist Party . 2017-02-10 .
  4. News: Stone . Setumo . The ANC is not the God of the revolution. . . 12 March 2017 . 12 March 2017 .
  5. News: SACP, ANC at loggerheads over Zuma . . 29 August 2016 . 12 March 2017 .
  6. News: Mkokeli . Sam . Sguazzin. Antony. ANC’s Communist Allies Say Party Losing Grip on South Africa . . 1 November 2016 . 12 March 2016 .
  7. News: SACP leader could face criminal charges over Zuma criticism IOL. 2017-07-08. en.
  8. News: Pillay . Verashni . 30 March 2017 . 'For God's Sakes People!' SACP's Solly Mapaila Rubbishes Operation Checkmate Claims Against Pravin Gordhan . 4 April 2017 . The Huffington Post South Africa . Johannesburg.
  9. News: The party will not fall into the trap of false unity. . . 4 April 2017 . 4 April 2017 .
  10. News: Hunter . Qaanitah . Tearful Blade ready to call time on the SACP. . . 17 August 2016. 12 March 2017 .