Johannesburg - The ANC policy conference is happening at a time when the party is standing at a precipice looking down into a gloomy future that could see the eventual demise of Africa’s oldest liberation movement.
For the South African public, this is an opportunity to reflect on what the scenario painted above means concerning their future – given the role the ANC currently plays as “leader of society’’ or as its leaders are wont to say, “the glorious movement of the people”.
Since coming into power, assisted mainly by the prominent role it played in the negotiations which established a new political order, the ANC has retained its dominance as “leader of society”.
Upon taking power the ANC, with access to resources, embarked on a programme to try to improve the quality of life for the millions of South Africans whose dignity and humanity were undermined under the racist policy of apartheid.
A look at post-1994 developments in the country shows that the above-mentioned factors have driven the electoral support that the ANC has had compared to other political parties in South Africa.
This is despite the party’s mixed success when it comes to important matters related to the citizens’ livelihood in what is regarded as a new democratic South Africa in which everyone has the opportunity to utilise their talents and human potential to the fullest.
Another look at the post-1994 scenario also shows that given the country’s pre-1994 history, the ANC’s ascent to power happened in a situation wherein there was a huge potential for the interests of the elite to overshadow those of the masses. This invariably leads to a situation whereby the fate of the masses is overshadowed by the conflict of interests within the elite.
The prevailing situation is a case in point whereby the ANC as the political elite is using its power to extract material benefits from the economic elite – with some members of the economic elite, in turn, using their economic power to extract political support for their business ventures. The masses are now the grass under the two warring elephants’ feet.
The recently released Zondo Anti-Corruption Report, which revealed that under then President Jacob Zuma more than R57 billion in public funds was siphoned off from almost every arm of the state by unscrupulous business people aided by ANC leaders, aptly captures the outlined scenario.
On the other hand, the 2021 local government elections wherein the ANC was the biggest loser and last year’s July uprising are clear indications that the ANC’s Struggle credential currency is on the decline.
Recent public Struggle credentials mitigations by various ANC leaders are clear signs of a party desperate to regain its “political cred” in a self-created crisis.
Recent developments relating to this crisis tell us that – instead of assessing and reviewing the kind of policies that will enable the ANC to continue leading the much-needed transformation agenda in the country – the conference will end up being another internal leadership bun fight.
This is because, while publicly mouthing statements about its commitment to self-renewal, the ANC has essentially become a self-absorbed party that has lost the revolutionary morality that drove its founders.
The challenge for those who believe in government by the people for the people is how to read the current situation in a manner that makes them realise their potential as a contributing force to the attainment of such a government.
Lekota is former political editor at the “Sowetan”.