Philosopher Mbeki’s criticisms of ANC leadership, ‘complicates an already complicated system’

Former President Thabo Mbeki has in recent months been calling a spade a spade, when it comes to the multifaceted challenges faced by South Africa and the governing African National Congress (ANC).

Just Wednesday, while addressing students during a dialogue at the University of South Africa (UNISA), Mbeki said in order to address challenges ranging from crime, unemployment and the electricity crisis, quality leadership appears to be lacking in the country.

ALSO READ: Thabo Mbeki bemoans South Africa’s lack of ‘quality leadership’

Mbeki’s scathing remarks have also led to questions being asked about whether or not he was indirectly taking a direct swipe at the under-fire President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The return of Philosopher Mbeki

Speaking to The Citizen, political analyst Theo Venter said this meant the old Mbeki, the philosopher-politician of yesteryear is back.

“He must be very irritating to the Ramaphosa presidency and he complicates an already complicated system in the ANC even more, rather than pointing to solutions – the typical role of an elder statesman.

“Mbeki stayed out of politics as elder statesman during the Zuma years, but started to add his perspective on the decline of the ANC on several occasions over the last two years,” Venter said.

Venter said Mbeki’s comments also brings about some historical perspective.

Load shedding started in Mbeki-era

On Wednesday Mbeki was critical of the Eskom leadership in relation to the current load shedding which was ramped up to stage 6 last weekend, only to be lowered to stage 5 early this week.

Former president Thabo Mbeki says while the current Eskom management has to be held accountable for South Africa's electricity crisis, the role of former managers also needs to be scrutinised. He was delivering a speech at Unisa today. #DStv403 #eNCA pic.twitter.com/XLnneAdK81

— eNCA (@eNCA) September 21, 2022

“Already in 2007 President Mbeki apologised to the nation for dropping the Eskom ball, by not paying attention to the Eskom warnings about future limitations on electrical provision.

“Load shedding actually started in the Mbeki-era and it is weird for him to criticise the ANC for the current crisis,” said Venter.

Who will Mbeki back in leadership race?

Asked if Mbeki was perhaps busy campaigning for someone in the ANC to oppose Ramaphosa ahead of the ANC’s elective conference in December, considering his historical relations with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma who recently confirmed accepting nomination for the position of ANC president, Venter said he (Mbeki) is likely simply playing his own game.

Responding to this, another political analyst Rebone Tau said while he has not said it publicly, he appears to be more comfortable with Dlamini-Zuma.

“I don’t if he is campaigning for someone in the ANC, but he needs to come out if indeed that’s what he is doing. He is a member of the ANC after all, and he has never said he has left the ANC, so he has the right to pronounce his preferred candidate,” Tau said.

“Also, if you look at the historical context going back to 2007, he was seen to trying to want to work with Nkosazana, wanting her to be his deputy president of the ANC at the time when Jacob Zuma emerged as the president,” Tau said.

Whether or not Mbeki was indirectly taking a swipe at Ramaphosa’s leadership, Tau said it was difficult to say:

“However, we are at a point where he has been very frank and critical of the Ramaphosa presidency and according to the reflection I have made, when Zuma was the president, he was not as vocal as we are seeing him today. He was not as critical as we are seeing him today with President Ramaphosa, and it is alleged that the two have had a strenuous relationship. I stand to be corrected, I am not sure.”

During the memorial service held in honour of deceased ANC deputy secretary general, Jessie Duarte, Mbeki warned party members not to dismiss sentiments about South Africa being on ‘auto pilot’, fearing that the country might have its own version of the Arab Spring.

ALSO READ: Mbeki warns ANC not to dismiss sentiments that SA is on auto-pilot

Speaking at another memorial service held for ANC stalwart Rita Ndzanga, Mbeki also called on the party to get rid of power-hungry comrades if the ANC is to survive the 2024 elections.

ALSO READ: No party in SA has the ability to destroy a renewed ANC – Mbeki