SACP chairperson, Alex Mashilo, confirmed that the meeting started late on Monday.

Two of the issues expected to top the agenda are the ANC's dropping of its investigation into the Gupta family's dealings with the state, as well as the candidate lists for the upcoming local government elections, which the SACP alleges were cooked in some regions.

The bilateral meeting was postponed twice in recent weeks, firstly due to the ANC's national working committee meeting being held in the Western Cape at short notice, and the second time due to Zuma being away on a state visit to Iran, SACP second deputy secretary general, Solly Mapaila, told News24.

"We wanted the president to be present because we don't want him to act on hearsay," Mapaila said. "He is friends with the Guptas in person. We felt it's unfair to discuss this in a meeting and he is not there."

The ANC, in turn, blamed the postponement of the meeting on the SACP.

The DA on Monday called on the SACP to support its motion in Parliament for a parliamentary ad hoc committee to investigate the alleged state capture by the Guptas.

The SACP over the weekend said it would ask the South African Council of Churches for legal and logistical help to lodge a formal complaint about the Guptas' dealings with the state.

- News24.com