IEJ TO ATTEND CONFERENCE OF THE LEFT AS OBSERVER

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) has announced it will attend the Conference of the Left (29-31 May 2026) in Johannesburg as an observer. While recognizing the event as an opportunity to engage with left formations on issues like climate and just transition, the IEJ declined a prominent role due to concerns over the lack of transparency in funding, the SACP's leadership role, and the failure to exclude individuals or organizations that violate principles of anti-racism and anti-corruption. The IEJ also highlighted the underrepresentation of feminist organizations.

• The Conference of the Left, convened by the South African Communist Party (SACP) and a multi-party Steering Committee, aims to coordinate action across left formations to dismantle class, racial, and patriarchal domination. Its agenda includes topics such as climate and just transition, land and food sovereignty, and the cost of living, with the goal of establishing a 'Council of the Left' for joint campaigns.
• The IEJ raised procedural concerns regarding the conference, specifically citing a lack of transparency concerning funding sources, the public nature of disputes over participation and leadership, and the SACP's leadership role given its alliance with the ANC and participation in national government.
• The IEJ expressed compositional concerns, arguing that the conference failed to proactively exclude individuals or organizations that promote xenophobia or are involved in corruption. Additionally, the IEJ noted that feminist organizations are 'woefully underrepresented' despite the conference's stated focus on women's rights.
• Due to these concerns, the IEJ decided to attend as an 'Observer' rather than endorsing the event or taking a prominent role, such as facilitating a Commission. The IEJ stated that full participation in future activities depends on the Steering Committee's willingness to actively exclude those who adopt racist, sexist, or corrupt behavior.

APA

Institute for Economic Justice (2026). IEJ TO ATTEND CONFERENCE OF THE LEFT AS OBSERVER. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IEJ-statement-on-attendance-at-Conference-of-the-Left.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Economic Justice. IEJ TO ATTEND CONFERENCE OF THE LEFT AS OBSERVER. 2026. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IEJ-statement-on-attendance-at-Conference-of-the-Left.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Institute for Economic Justice |title=IEJ TO ATTEND CONFERENCE OF THE LEFT AS OBSERVER |date=29 May 2026 |url=https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IEJ-statement-on-attendance-at-Conference-of-the-Left.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{instituteforeconomicjustice2026iej, author = {{Institute for Economic Justice}}, title = {{IEJ TO ATTEND CONFERENCE OF THE LEFT AS OBSERVER}}, publisher = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IEJ-statement-on-attendance-at-Conference-of-the-Left.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }