What new ANC leader must do
WHOEVER is announced as the new president of the ANC later today, one thing is for sure; they and their new leadership team will have a herculean task ahead of them. Much has been written about the problems the venerable organisation faces.
Almost every South African has an opinion about the ANC for the simple reason that the ANC has been the government of this country for almost an entire generation – particularly the so-called born frees.
The truth is much has gone wrong over the last couple of years; the economy has tanked, joblessness is at critical levels, our state owned enterprises have become bottomless holes of sorely needed public funds and the outgoing president of the party has become synonymous with state capture.
Our country has been wrecked by spontaneous broad church public dissent spilling over onto the streets drawing together people who were once natural foes, but have found a new citizenship through a shared anger.
The ANC has not been immune to this new phenomenon, in the process, almost seeming to buckle under the strain, even more-so as the race to replace Jacob Zuma drew ever closer, the stakes ever higher and the vicious infighting and dirty tricks plumb unprecedented depths.
The collateral damage has been intense; much of it beneath the waterline, visible only when the country went to the polls to elect local governments and the party faithful either defected or stayed away in silent protest.
The leadership race has threatened to fracture the fault-lines in the party irreparably.
The debate over credentials was one such moment.
The elective conference was delayed for almost a day, only for the contesting factions able – surprisingly – at the last moment to agree and avert the unimaginable crisis of an imploded conference.
This ability to find one another was repeated throughout the day, culminating in the successful conclusion of the nomination process for the top six candidates which was initially rowdy but quickly found its shape and was resolved.
As the ballot lists took shape, certain third way candidates declined nomination allowing a very sharp focus, simplifying a potentially complex situation.
The rest was left to the consciences of the delegates to vote secretly for the candidates they feel will best meet the demands of their mandates.
Today we will find out who those leaders are. What will hearten them is that the party found it within itself to find solutions to problems that could have fatally hurt it.