For the first time since its unbanning the ANC needs to find a new direction. Its supporters and South African voters are no longer content with resolutions that promise to end to corruption.
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Articles on Cyril Ramaphosa
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Instead of ignoring his accusers, South Africa’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa entertained them, tried to silence them through court, and then revealed a long-past affair of little interest.
Accusations against South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa appear to be an example of the tried-and-tested trick to discredit him and his political campaign to become the next president.
It would be no surprise if Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s claims of the state spying on him turn out to be true. After all, state spy agencies have been abused before in ANC factional battles.
Five years on, no-one has been held to account for the Marikana massacre where 34 miners were shot dead by members of the South African Police Service in a single day.
The bitter attitude of ANC leaders who spoke inside and outside Parliament before and after the no confidence vote added fuel to already existing public anger at the arrogance of the governing party.
The huge hype ahead of the vote of no confidence in President Zuma made the result anti-climactic. However, the fact that the motion was defeated by only a 21 vote margin is unprecedented.
All three female contenders for the presidency of the ANC and South Africa have strong liberation struggle credentials and have also contributed to democracy. But, are they up to the job?
Even if President Zuma wins the no confidence vote, the consequences for the ruling ANC are dire. A loss would see it further divided and weakened ahead of the 2019 elections.
After tiptoeing around the idea of contesting state power South Africa’s Communist Party is looking to strengthen its position now that the ANC is no longer the dominant force it used to be.
South Africa’s governing ANC appears to have lost claim to being a leader of society. This is clear from the outcome of its policy conference.
A combination of politicking ahead of the ANC policy conference, plus the machinations just before it met meant heightened tensions between rival factions.
Policy conferences of South Africa’s governing ANC have been about economic policy matters. But more recently organisational renewal has also dominated, as the party loses support.
The brand of South Africa’s ruling party, the 104-year-old ANC, is in serious decline. The party needs to act decisively to stop this.
The internal processes of South Africa’s ruling ANC for electing the president is distorted by money, patronage, factionalism and vote-rigging. It negates the democratic legitimacy the party claims.
South Africa’s ANC and Namibia’s SWAPO, governing parties, enter crucial leadership elections this year, with presidents Zuma and Geingob both facing challenges.
South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s apology for his role in the 2012 Marikana massacre has no credibility, as there wasn’t full disclosure.
The problem for Jacob Zuma’s political theology is that far too many members of South Africa’s ruling ANC have been experiencing a dramatic loss of faith in a party they see as no longer righteous.
Cyril Ramaphosa is in pole position to become president of South Africa’s ruling ANC, 20 years after he lost the position by Thabo Mbeki. But, it won’t be easy. Neither will rebuilding the party.
The fallout at the meeting of South Africa’s governing ANC clearly exposed how the party’s factionalism has spilled over into government. This is likely to paralyse governance even further.
Top contributors
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Professor of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand
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Professor of Political Studies, University of Johannesburg
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Professor in Political Science, University of South Africa
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Political Scientist, University of the Western Cape
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Associate Professor in Public Law, University of Cape Town
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Professor of Public Affairs, Tshwane University of Technology
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Visiting Professor at the Business School, University of the Witwatersrand
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Visiting Professor and Professor Emeritus, University of the Witwatersrand
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Senior Research Fellow, Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study, University of Johannesburg
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Professor of Urban Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
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Honorary Professor of International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand
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Criminologist / Senior Lecturer, Stellenbosch University
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Associate professor, University of Cape Town
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Director, African Centre for the Study of the United States, University of Pretoria
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Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Johannesburg
