I stayed quiet about the notorious ANC “hotel shower” issue since I don’t like to wade into every political distraction that comes along. However, after seeing the more recent ”one loaf, one family” stunt I had to speak up, and speak plainly. ANC leaders are costing the party votes in Gauteng because of their reckless statements and misplaced campaign tactics.
The party’s recent gimmick of handing out loaves of bread to symbolise support for hard-pressed families in Gauteng was an insult to people who struggle daily to put food on the table, let alone find dignity, purpose and sustainable income.
People want jobs, opportunities and real leadership, not symbolic gestures that suggest a once-off bread donation is the solution. This isn’t only about a loaf of bread; it’s about respect for the intelligence, dignity and aspirations of South Africans.
The ANC in Gauteng is preparing to go to its provincial conference. Many candidates have put themselves forward because everyone apparently feels they are fit to lead a province that has been declining since the 2016 local government elections, when the party lost its absolute majority in all the province’s metros.
By 2021 it was even worse. The ANC’s share of the vote in Gauteng that year was 45.8%, a clear sign it would struggle to win the province in 2024.
Even more concerning is that most ANC politicians who can’t keep their feet out of their mouths have been in leadership positions since the decline began. Yet today they remain brave enough to think they can lead an organisation that has faltered repeatedly on their watch.
Why is the ANC not transforming in its so-called spirit of renewal? The party continues to elect people into leadership positions based on influence, not their capacity to lead.
Recently, Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi made remarks that angered residents when he addressed complaints about water outages by saying he was also affected, and had to sometimes go to hotels to take a shower.
While he apologised in the wake of a public outcry, the tone-deaf statement will cost the ANC support. It will be difficult for the party to regain votes from suburban residents, people who pay their municipal rates, electricity and water bills every month and contribute to the country’s GDP, but are not getting the basic services they pay for.
Many of these former ANC supporters are taxpayers and ratepayers who also carry the “black tax”, supporting families in rural areas and townships. In today’s economy, expecting them to relate to paying to take a hotel shower is politically damaging.
We have also had deputy minister of forestry, fisheries and environmental affairs Bernice Swartz, contesting for the position of deputy ANC secretary in the province, driving the “one loaf, one family” campaign.
Why is the ANC not transforming in its so-called spirit of renewal? The party continues to elect people into leadership positions based on influence, not their capacity to lead.
The ANC should hold internal debates for candidates instead of staging symbolic gestures so members know who they are voting for ahead of local government elections. People want jobs, not a symbolic loaf of bread.
Factionalism has reshaped the ANC to the point where some people who might have remained ordinary supporters now lead branches, regions, provinces and even national structures
ANC members need to reflect on how the party has declined over the years, especially in Gauteng. Can the party still relate to the residents of this complex province, which hosts people from all other eight provinces and around the world seeking economic opportunities?
Gauteng cannot be led by people who are unable to apply their minds to the real challenges facing its citizens. Leadership here demands more than gestures; it demands vision, empathy and the ability to deliver real solutions.
In 2007 former president Thabo Mbeki asked a pertinent question: “Who are these people?”
This question feels even more relevant today. Factionalism has reshaped the ANC to the point where some people who might have remained ordinary supporters now lead branches, regions, provinces and even national structures.
In the process, many capable and principled party members have either been pushed out or have chosen to leave because they can no longer relate to the political culture that has taken root.
Mbeki’s question was not only about individuals. It was a warning about the direction the movement was taking, and today it echoes louder than ever.
• Tau is a political commentator.
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