ANC’s biggest threats are within, Ramaphosa says

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa described party “careerists”, ill-discipline and factionalism as the biggest threats to the party. He told members the party should do introspection as it has become its own worst enemy.

“We are at a critical point as a movement. We need to take a critical look at ourselves and what must be done to reclaim the trust of our people,” he said. “Who are the people who fill our ranks and occupy positions of leadership? Are they careerists, factionalists or are they people who want positions to line their own pockets and advance their own interests?”

Listen to Ramaphosa:

Ramaphosa said party members should be selfless, principled, ethical, humble and put the interests of the party and citizens first. Understanding the needs of citizens was among suggestions on the table to get closer to voters. He said people’s confidence in the organisation had dropped over time.

In the May 29 elections citizens sent a strong message of dissatisfaction “with the slow pace of change, poverty, inequality and underdevelopment”, he said. “Unemployment is diminishing the prospects of an entire generation. Crime and insecurity threaten to undermine our democratic order. Corruption is depriving our people of services.”

He was speaking in commemoration of the birthday of former ANC president Oliver Tambo on Sunday. Ramaphosa said Tambo defended ANC policies and never backed down in the face of criticism in the international community.

“We must ask ourselves whether, in the face of the electoral losses, we have allowed ourselves to be ideologically disarmed. Even as the government of national unity continues its work, we must be clear that our revolutionary programme of action has not been discarded or deferred.”

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