Cronin: Zuma won't be speaking at SACP congress
The South African Communist Party (SACP) says President Jacob Zuma won't be addressing its national congress next month.
The SACP 1st Deputy Secretary Jeremy Cronin says the SACP has instead invited Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to speak.
"This was a deliberate move because we can't on one hand call for him to step down as President of the country and then on the other hand, invite him to come to our congress," said Cronin.
The SACP was the first tripartite alliance partner to call for President Zuma to step down following his controversial cabinet reshuffle.
Tensions between the ANC and SACP have been simmering ever since the call for President Zuma to leave office.
One of President Zuma's fiercest critics, the SACP's 2nd Deputy Secretary Solly Mapaila, has been the victim of what the party described as "act of intimidation".
This after a group of protesters surrounded Mapaila's house holding placards that read "Hands off Zuma".
Mapaila has since laid criminal charges against the protestors.