African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the governing party must change its ways or it will “die”.
Delivering the opening address at the Mpumalanga Provincial General Council on Saturday, 18 October, Mbalula stressed the need for the party to improve its public standing.
He said this could only be achieved if ANC members united and worked together towards a common goal.
ANC’S RENEWAL PROCESS
Mbalula reminded delegates that the party suffered a major blow in the national elections, securing only 40% of the vote, which forced the creation of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
“Comrades, we have suffered a setback, a big one. Our numbers went down to 40%. The NEC asked, ‘What do we call this outcome?’ and said it is a setback. We had to create what is called a Government of National Unity,” he said.
He stressed that leadership positions are temporary and said that future leaders should not preside over a “carcass”. “Our organisation has not done well, and we must stand up together united and focus on the task,” he said.
According to Mbalula, citizens have lost confidence in the ANC not because they reject its founding ideas, but because of how the party conducts itself.
“Our ways and deeds have contributed largely to the low morale among our voters and our people. The people say: We trust the ideas, but no longer the vehicle and the vehicle is the ANC.”
He insisted, however, that the ANC could recover if members embraced renewal. “We are in a strategic setback that we can actually come back from as the ANC.”
RAMAPHOSA’S REMARKS
Mbalula’s comments echoed remarks by party president Cyril Ramaphosa at a recent roll-call event for councillors at FNB Stadium in Soweto.
Ramaphosa said that municipalities run by the ANC’s GNU partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA), are outperforming ANC-run municipalities and called on ANC members to emulate the DA.
