How the ANC lost its way, crying foul instead of reflection

The ANC, once a proud movement, has its Freedom Charter in tatters, with analysts pointing out that the ruling party has seemingly surrendered its identity and principles to the gutter, crying foul instead of taking stock.

This in the back of the South African National Editors’ Forum’s (SANEF) calls on law-enforcement agencies to investigate alleged attacks and death threats directed at SA Broadcasting Corporation journalists for their coverage of the local government elections in the Free State Province.

The forum has been alarmed by insulting and threatening messages sent to Lesedi FM News’ Current Affairs Senior Producer Dimakatso Motsoeneng and her colleague Palesa Chubisi and Lahliwe Matsoso also received similar threats.

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“These criminals accused the journalists and the Lesedi FM news team of being responsible for the ANC’s defeat at the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality and Metsimaholo Local Municipality,” Sanef has said in a statement.

Of concern, according to Sanef, the threats comes on the back of transport minister and head of ANC election head Fikile Mbalula’s attack on the SABC for its coverage of the November elections.

Last month Mbalula accused the public broadcaster of running shows critical of service delivery, which he blamed for the low voter turnout and cost his party three Gauteng metros in the recent local government elections.

Shooting the messenger

ANC stalwart Mavuso Msimang, a former member of the party’s armed wing uMkhonto we Sizwe’s (MK) military high command in the 1960’s, said it was not only wrong but dangerous for politicians to blame the media for their political misfortunes, for their poor performance.

He said it was very against the freedom of the press not only enshrined in the constitution but which the ANC supports.

Msimang said ANC has taken very hard blows, saying the party’s performance has not been good lately but said president Cyril Ramaphosa has been gracious about defeat.

“You cannot blame the massager…It is really totally alien to ANC culture, unless [Mbalula] had proof which he would then be obliged to produce…there must be evidence otherwise extremely dangerous for politicians, any politician, to make statements like that. Now if actually, the followers end up by attacking, that is ill-disciplined followers, that makes the case even more serious,” he said.

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The party’s Greater Johannesburg region has also used the newly elected DA City of Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse’s efforts to clamp down on the historic culture of illegal power connections and non-payment created and allowed to fester by the ANC.

The regional structure has charged in a statement that the effort was an unjustified work of “misguided charlatans”, undermining black areas as unworthy of such a basic service.

ANC shot itself in the head

Political analyst Levy Ndou said blaming everyone and everything was the ANC’s self-destruction, the media, insults and making irrational statements was just part of the party’s self-harm mode.

He said the party must focus on dealing with its own challenges of corruption, poor service delivery, crumbling infrastructure and state entities.

“The party went into elections with its secretary-general [Ace Magashule] facing corruption charges, its former president having tainted its image, the party itself cannot pay workers, dwindling standard of living due to unemployment, worsened by covid pandemic, neglect of public infrastructure like rail and running down of state entities like Denel, SAA, Prasa and Eskom. I mean there was load shedding on the eve of the elections,” Ndou said.

He said also towards the elections the party’ minister of health Zweli Mkhize resigned following allegations of corruption, in the backdrop of massive Personal Protective Equipment graft.

“These are self-created challenges and the party must focus on doing well that the media can report on. People are now aware that they are deprived because of corruption and the attitude they get is ‘we do not care’. This is manifested by the support some party members and leaders give to those facing corruption,” Ndou added.

Soon after coming into power, the party steadily crumbled from a continental force carrying a people’s aspiration to become synonymous with corruption, arrogance, factionalism, and abuse of state power as well as self-serving.

The root of it all

Former party leader Thabo Mbeki has noted that then-president Nelson Mandela warned of the emergence of careerism and self-serving interests that are root causes of the party’s integrity woes in his political report at the ANC’s 1997 50th National Conference.

North West University political analysts Professor André Duvenage said the ANC has lost its way, particularly its identity, principles and that this had its roots in its failure to adapt to a fundamentally changing society, clinging to being a struggle movement instead of adapting into a changing society and morph into a leader of society.

He said this has been worsened by the loss of the party’s identity itself in that it is no longer clear who is the ANC (Ramaphosa faction or the Zuma faction), lack of leadership and then of course corruption.

“SA has changed in a fundamental way. Like other organisations, they must adapt. The party has to shed its struggle movement approach in its dealings. At this point in time, it is difficult to understand who the ANC is. Is it the Ramaphosa faction or the Ace Magashule faction? There are just too many conflicting perspectives on exactly what is the ANC. This happens because there is a lack of strong leadership,” Devenage said. siphom@citizen.co.za