The crumbling foundation of the ANC
Ostensibly, the party’s strength lies in its branches. But regional and provincial leaders have always intervened, and the party has been powerless to stop the erosion of internal democracy
Mangaung, December 2012: the constitutional court delivers a body blow to the ANC’s national conference by nullifying the Free State provincial conference held six months earlier. Two days later the ANC conference begins; it ultimately elects President Jacob Zuma to lead the party for a second term. At the time, the party was in uncharted territory, allegations of vote-and membership-rigging to secure a factional outcome had dogged the run-up to the conference, and the court judgment provided the smoking gun. That judgment proved that internal democracy in the ANC, which it counted as a critical factor distinguishing it from political parties locally and abroad, was in dire straits. Fast-forward to 2017, and the situation has not improved. On the contrary — it has deteriorated. At least three provinces — including its largest, KwaZulu Natal — are in the midst of court battles which have the potential to alter the outcome of the December gathering. Between 2012 and October 2017, the ...
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