CYRIL ON ANC CHALLENGES

Conceding that corruption and controversies involving ANC leaders weakened the governing party, President Cyril Ramapho yesterday said internal party problems widened the social distance between the party and the people.

Addressing the ANC’s virtual January 8 statement from Luthuli House, Ramaphosa warned that unless ANC challenges were resolved, they were bound to have “the effect of rendering our society rudderless, at a time when firm and principled leadership is required”.

Ramaphosa cautioned that here was a danger of internal confl icts “consuming us and detracting from the very real work we need to do to unite and transform our society”.

“With governance comes great responsibility,” he said.

“The ANC must win public confidence by meeting the needs of the people, accounting to communities, deploying the most capable cadres to positions of responsibility, managing public resources ethically and acknowledging weaknesses.

The ANC, said Ramaphosa, had to “account to the people on the state of our municipalities, many of which are facing deep challenges of governance, stability, service delivery and financial management.”

Setting out ANC priorities for 2021, Ramaphosa said the party would focus on: Defeating Covid-19; Economic recovery, and The renewal of the ANC.

He said the economy has contracted sharply. Around two million jobs have been lost and many more people have fallen below the poverty line.

“Many families face hunger and hardship as we enter the new year. Many more struggle to keep up debt repayments, have had their assets repossessed and cannot make ends meet,” he said.

“The task of nation building requires that we attend to the outstanding matters of investigations, prosecutions and reparations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission [TRC].”

Ahmed Cajee, nephew of Ahmed Timol of the SA Communist Party who was murdered by security officials in 1971, supported Ramaphosa’s reference to the TRC.

“These matters are long overdue,” Cajee said.

“Families eagerly await to see a plan of action on the part of the ANC to ensure that apartheid era perpetrators are held accountable for the deaths of their loved ones.”

Independent political analyst Dr Ralph Mathekga said the tone of the speech confirmed that the ANC was “under pressure”.

“How the ANC responds to the current crisis is what should be occupying the party for months to come,” said Mathekga.

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