FACTIONS
NATASHA MARRIAN: ANC making a jumbo mistake with Zuma
‘What the party fails to recognise is that Zuma has already split the ANC twice — when Cope and the EFF were formed’
Fear of the unknown is directing the ANC as it navigates its way through its most turbulent time post democracy. This is particularly so in the way it is dealing with President Jacob Zuma, under whose leadership it has lost the moral authority it enjoyed in the early days of democracy. ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe recounted during a roundtable discussion this week that he had once asked party stalwart Andrew Mlangeni, who joined in 1945 and had witnessed many a party president come and go, what lessons could be drawn from serving under all those presidents to help deal with the current one. He was told the ANC had never had an experience such as this — implying it had never had a president similar to Zuma. The ANC is therefore learning on the run, but Mantashe made it clear the party was chary of removing Zuma because it feared this would split the party. This is a shockingly myopic view of a stark reality. Zuma remains the ANC president, not just president of the country,...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.