Cape Town – Former ANC President Thabo Mbeki has urged ANC members to end positional fighting and return to the movement’s revolutionary values as part of a party renewal effort.
During a two-day renewal drive in the Free State, Mbeki addressed concerns that ANC leaders are out of touch with the society they govern.
He emphasised that the renewal of the ANC is not a new idea but a decision made at previous national conferences, and the party must address its waning support, as shown by a significant drop in votes between 2019 and 2024.
“It’s a critical matter because we have to take very seriously the statement made by the population. That drop in the support of the ANC from 2019 to 2024, that Drop of 17%, is very dramatic. Is very big.
Former President Thabo Mbeki took a candid stance at the Provincial Executive Committee meeting, declaring: “For the first time since 1994, ANC support has dipped below expectations. It’s time for introspection, if there’s a problem, it starts with us.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/BgtiLFXf5a
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) September 7, 2024
“As it was indicated, for the first time since 1994, the support of the ANC fell way below 10 million, it came at six-point something million. I’m saying that it was very important that the province should say in the light of we need to look very carefully at ourselves as ANC,” Mbeki said.
Mbeki stressed the need for self-reflection within the ANC, acknowledging that if there are issues, they lie within the party, not the electorate.
He warned that without committed revolutionaries, the ANC could fail to defend its values.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
