Johnathan Paoli
President Cyril Ramaphosa has cautioned ANC members against using the party’s branches as tools for division or as platforms to further agendas of individual leaders.
Ramaphosa’s remarks, delivered at the close of the party’s three-day NEC meeting in Boksburg on Sunday, come amid ongoing internal challenges within the ANC, including discussions around who will succeed him as ANC President in 2027.
A recent diagnostic report revealed that a number of branches had been repurposed for furthering the agendas of individuals, in clear contradiction of the party’s constitutional definition of the role and purpose of a branch.
“We need to build branches that are political, not transactional or captured for individual career advancement or sectional interests,” he said.
“We decided that our renewal programme focus on rebuilding branches to become vibrant and activist branches, with clear programmes of action that address the tasks of the National Democratic Revolution.”
Ramaphosa said the NEC maintained that to achieve effective branches, renewal must also focus on individual ANC leaders and members.
“This includes raising the intellectual capacity and enhancing the moral and ethical orientation of leaders and members. It is in this context that we will tomorrow launch the ANC Foundation Course. The course will be compulsory for every ANC member, public representative and leader, starting with members of the NEC,” he said.
“The NEC agreed that the living embodiment of a renewed ANC will be members and leaders who show exemplary conduct in society through their service to the people of our country, through hard work in carrying out their duties, whether in government, the community or the organisation, and who will continuosly uphold the core values and principles of the ANC.”
He further warned against any leadership contest or lobbying at the moment, saying it was way too early to talk about who will succeed him as ANC President in 2027.
His second-in-command, Paul Mashatile is already seen as Ramaphosa’s natural successor, who has already served two terms as president.
“There will a time for disciplined discussion and engagement on leadership succession. Now is not that time,” said Ramaphosa.
“Our next National Conference is only 2027 and we are only in 2024. Right now, the ANC must focus on rebuilding organisation and preparing for the local government elections in 2026.”
Earlier on Sunday, Ramaphosa addressed party leadership structures and members during the OR Tambo Memorial Lecture in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni.
He reiterated that the party was experiencing a crisis of authority, legitimacy and trust.
“Africa’s oldest liberation movement is facing severe challenges: support for the ANC has declined, our mandate to govern has narrowed; the trust deficit between us and the people has widened,” he said.
Ramaphosa outlined how the most serious existential threat the party has been forced to address, comes from within, including factional battles, naked careerism and personal ambition.
He said in recent times the party has become characterized by ill-discipline, political intrigue, ideological rifts and a rising intolerance of divergent viewpoints.
“Corruption on the parts of elites and growing inequality are all the small cuts that are ruining our movement. We need to take a critical look at ourselves and what needs to be done to regain the trust of our people,” Ramaphosa said.
Turning more inward, Ramaphosa called for ridding the organization of elements within which are self-serving, sabotaging and willing to forsake the transformation project or bring the party into disrepute.
Ramaphosa reiterated that ANC branches should play an active and central role in the lives of their respective communities, leading the process of recruiting new cohorts of cadres focused on training and political education.
He said that where a branch is involved in the life of the community it is situated in, people tend to rally more substantially behind the party.
Ramaphosa said that certain elements within the party viewed branches as stepladders for self-enrichment, and members must be vigilant against those who use the cover of unity to get away with a range of dishonest activities.
“The ANC has been resilient, all attempts to bring it down have failed and we must not fail this great organisation of OR Thambo and be true inheritors, to work hard, and make sure this organization does indeed rise,” Ramaphosa said.
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