Around 15 December 1975, the South African Communist Party (SACP) released a Statement titled, “The Enemy Hidden Under the Same Colour”, which was later published in “The African Communist”, Second Quarter, 1976. The SACP Statement was in support of a Statement issued by the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC) on 11 December 1975, on “the expulsion of a conspiratorial clique”, issued by the Secretary General, Alfred Nzo, following a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Morogoro, Tanzania.
In its Statement the ANC referred to the expulsion of eight members due to what the Movement described as “disruptive factionalist activities based on reactionary racial grounds”. Amongst those expelled were Alfred Kgokong Mqota, Tennyson Makiwane, Jonas Matlou, Ambrose Mzimkulu Makiwane, George Mbele, Thami Bonga, Pascal Ngakane and O. K. Setlhapelo.
The statement maintained that “A small discredited conspiratorial group of dissidents, some of them formerly active in the African National Congress, and other splinter movements, have recently intensified their campaign of lies, slander and malicious distortions intended to cause disruption within the ranks of the African National Congress and create confusion and demoralisation among the oppressed people of South Africa and world public.”
“Determined at all costs, to attract public attention to themselves,” the Statement continued, “they deliberately conspired to use the name of t
