THE renewal of the ANC should start with the Phala Phala scandal, whose stench reeks all the way to heaven.

That is the reaction of at least one political analyst following the party’s 113th anniversary celebrations in Mandela Park stadium, Khayelitsha at the weekend where its President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address.

Ramaphosa had delivered another promise of the ANC renewal, while conceding that the general election performance last year had been a major setback for the party.

“The extent and depth of the electoral loss points to an organisation that has lost significant support and public confidence,” Ramaphosa said.

South Africa Cape Town 11-January-2024 Presiedent Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address at the party's 113th birthday rally at the Mandela Park Stadium in Khayelitsha. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane

The fact that the people of the Western Cape and South Africa continue to be confronted by the persistence of unemployment, poverty, and inequality and their attendant causes and effects, as President Cyril Ramaphosa is quick to point out, is proof of the ANC's failure to deliver a better life for all, said political analyst, professor Sipho Seepe. There was nothing new in the party's January 8 statement, he said.

“Reference to the history of conquest and land dispossession brings little comfort to the majority of Africans who wallow under conditions of squalor and land dispossession,” Seepe said.

“Nothing could be more disreputable than to have a head of state having hundreds of thousands of foreign currency stashed in a mattress. This matter had remained under radar for two years. Had Fraser not come forward, the country would (not) have known. The ANC is ideologically bankrupt. It has served its purpose,” he said.

However, the address was one of the party’s “most mature contemporary statements”, according to Unisa lecturer and political analyst Sanet Solomon.

“While it has a hint of nostalgia; it actually identifies and highlights key reasons for the party's poor performance in the 2024 national elections and outlines their specific plan of actions for 2025. While these key priorities are rarely new, it is refreshing for the party to explicitly acknowledge their existence given years of denialism,” she said.

The ANC’s acknowledgement of the importance of the Tripartite Alliance particularly stood out in the statement given the SACPs intention to contest the 2026 local government elections on its own, said Solomon.

“This split could be detrimental to the ANC as it has already lost most of its support base to parties like COPE, the EFF, and MK. A further splintering of support could ultimately lead to its demise.”

Researcher and policy analyst Nkokhulyle Nyembezi said Ramaphosa choosing to go after “minuscule details of the ANC alliance squabbles” while glossing over the nation’s critical challenges, “gave a grim insight into his priorities”.

“The big question has long been: now the ANC has limited power as a GNU leader, in what ways will it do good with it? There were some positive answers – decisive and visible action to renew the ANC, fixing local government and ensuring water and energy security, speeding up inclusive economic growth to create jobs, strengthening the fight against crime and corruption and building safe communities, building a South Africa that belongs to all through national dialogue, build a better Africa and a better world – but plenty to irk ordinary people blighted by poverty, hunger, unemployment, and inequality. Ramaphosa’s reference to these ANC’s six priorities as plans not rolling in full speed but yet to materialise in a distant future was painful to hear.”

Cape Times