ANC needs introspection if it wants to retain power

JOSTLING for positions as the ANC elective conference nears is gaining steam despite caution from the leadership that the debate is premature.

The most recent senior ANC member to voice his views is national executive committee member Tony Yengeni. He was quoted as saying he did not support the “nonsense” that Cyril Ramaphosa should seek a second term as president of the ANC and the country. It is an open secret that Yengeni has never supported Ramaphosa.

Yengeni’s views that the country and party are a mess are accurate. But who is responsible for hobbling Ramaphosa? Is it not Yengeni’s faction that has frustrated Ramaphosa by not supporting his vision of a “new dawn”? The ANC’s divisions are a result of the faction’s self-inflicted wounds.

The accusation is that Ramaphosa has done nothing for the people. Seriously, which ANC president qualitatively reversed the legacy of apartheid?

Nelson Mandela can be commended for bringing about democracy but he didn’t turn around the deplorable socio-economic conditions. Thabo Mbeki had marginal success when, in the early 2000s, the economy grew but the growth meant nothing for the marginalised and the poor.

Enter Zuma who happens to be supported by Yengeni. The myth that Zuma introduced radical economic transformation must be blown sky high. The populist rhetoric Zuma used never translated into tangible benefits for the poor. Instead, his leadership left the country in tatters.

All ANC factions must be honest if they want to save the party and country. They must not engage in myth-making to gain power. They should confront the harsh reality that the ANC has had serious problems. Many honest leaders are warning that there is a real possibility that the party might lose power in 2024.