An emboldened President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the renewal of the ANC “unstoppable” but admitted there is a perceived lack of consistency in the application of the contentious step-aside rule.
“Conference agreed that these [perceptions] must receive urgent attention so that the application of [step-aside] guidelines is impartial, fair and consistent,” Ramaphosa said in his closing address at the party’s national policy conference south of Johannesburg on Sunday.
Ramaphosa said the conference, which came five months before the national elective conference in December, was characterised by “robust and open discussions underpinned by respect”. The president is seeking a second term at the December conference.
He said socioeconomic challenges facing South Africans would not be resolved unless the party intensifies the “genuine renewal” of the ANC and the building of a capable, ethical and developmental state.
“The renewal of the ANC requires that we remain rooted among the people. We must demonstrate a willingness to serve and make sacrifices, acknowledging and addressing our weaknesses.”
Those that called for the step-aside rule to be scrapped, arguing it is used to fight factional battles, failed to convince the plenary of 1,800 branch delegates.
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, eThekwini chair Zandile Gumede, Mpumalanga treasurer Mandla Msibi and the party’s Limpopo heavyweight, Danny Msiza, have all been affected by the rule.
Ramaphosa himself could be in the firing line after former spy boss Arthur Fraser laid a criminal complaint, accusing him of kidnapping, theft and money laundering related to the theft of millions of dollars at his Phala Phala farm.
Though the ANC has reaffirmed its step-aside policy, provinces such as Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga who had hoped that the policy would be reviewed are hoping that amendments to the contentious policy will be made at the December national congress.
They want the step-aside guidelines to stipulate what constitutes a serious crime. They also want the guidelines to be in sync with the SA constitution, which reads everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
The ANC policy conference was an important strategic retreat for the governing party after Ramaphosa’s election on a reform ticket in 2017.
The ANC has also been losing support in successive elections. If that trend continues, the party could lose its majority in the 2024 general elections. Among the reasons for this is corruption and lack of service delivery.
The ANC’s top brass at the three-day gathering were also forced to face the party’s ordinary members in the aftermath of former president Thabo Mbeki’s critique that Ramaphosa had not delivered on his promises. Mbeki called on him to act with more urgency to deal with SA’s economic woes.
Mbeki and former president Kgalema Motlanthe attended the ANC’s policy conference.
Speaking to Business Day, Motlanthe said he is unconvinced that the ANC’s renewal agenda is penetrating the scourge of factionalism in the governing party.
He has also expressed disappointment that even though Ramaphosa called for an end to factions when he was elected ANC president in 2017, the culture continues.
“It [is] a precursor to the elective conferences. The idea is that policy issues should be debated and refined, and it [should be] on the basis of having knowledge of what the policies are [and] the ANC must then select the right people to lead in December. People who will be equal to the task of giving effect to the [ANC’s] policies,” Motlanthe said.
He added that organisational renewal has to be preceded by an acceptance of the mistakes. Branches of the party continue to function suboptimally and are just resuscitated to serve factional interests in the build-up to internal party elections.
“What I said back then is that the ANC seems to be tone deaf, that is, veering off the rails. The leadership of the ANC now has accepted that,” Motlanthe said.
On Sunday, Ramaphosa said the commitment to rid the ANC of factionalism, patronage and corruption “is quite an urgent mission”.
The ANC and government need to respond adequately to the burden of unemployment, poverty, crime, gender-based violence, femicide, corruption, racism, the energy crisis and rising cost of living.
“These are but some of the challenges that are urgent that our nation faces,” the president said.
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