SACP's dangerous path
High-level politics is a simple thing; people vote in what they believe is their best interests for their future within the country. If successful, the SACP's decision to begin a process moving away from the tri-partite alliance will, in my opinion, sound the end of the party's involvement in the South African political process at any high level. The SACP holds a largely unionised base that is hugely influential in directing politics (similar to the Teamsters in 60's America), but holds few skills in governing a country.

This is a fundamental difference. I cannot see how a rational person will continue to vote for the SACP as a serious contender for government leadership beyond one - or at most two - elections. The SACP will face the lonely fields of opposition politics, and will undoubtedly struggle to find an electable platform away from the coat-tails of the ANC. Communism is a difficult sell, worker's rights less so, but ultimately, worker's rights doth not an effective government make. I would imagine that the voter base will be easily cherry-picked by a liberation party message from the ANC.