ANC needs to shape up or ship out – Maharaj

African National Congress struggle stalwart Mac Maharaj says if the ANC is to retain its leadership of South Africa, the governing party has to “shape up or ship out”.

Maharaj, President Jacob Zuma’s former spin-doctor, says the president needs to take responsibility for the serious problems facing country.

“If the ANC is to retain its leadership, it’ll have to shape up or ship out. If it doesn’t … it will fail.

“At the moment, there are serious problems…He [Zuma] has to take responsibility for the problems and taking responsibility means helping find answers too,” Maharaj said, while delivering the OR Tambo Lecture at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, eNCA reported.

Maharaj said calls for Zuma to step down from office would have to be determined by ANC members, as it was an “unavoidable” conversation.

He lamented that not enough was being done to deal with allegations of state capture.

“The evidence that has appeared in the public space is deeply worrying and we have to grapple with that evidence. We have to recognise that the evidence is pointing to serious issues and the way we are dealing with it at the moment is inadequate to the problem,” Maharaj said.

His advice for ANC delegates going to the party’s elective conference in December was for party members to look at individual qualities and track records when deciding who should be the next ANC president.

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