Political analyst Kagiso Pooe says ANC lost its vision

Political analyst, Kagiso Pooe, says there’s strong evidence that the African National Congress (ANC) has lost its vision. Pooe says the reported instability and factional battles in the ANC are nothing new.

“One might argue this is just the norm of the ANC, it represents what has been happening over the last 10 years. I just make reference to the two previous Secretary-Generals Reports which actually paint a picture of a party which certainly doesn’t have a vision for the country, let alone a vision for how it should conduct itself and conduct its leadership. We should not think this is something wholly new, we should rather understand it in the context of this is a party in disarray without a vision for the country and also for itself.”

Another Political analyst, Ongama Mtimka, has warned that ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa’s failure to take decisive action against party Secretary-General Ace Magashule will weaken his chance of winning a second term.

Ramaphosa’s remarks at the end of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) weekend meeting were postponed indefinitely.

Reports say this is due to the meeting’s heated discussions on the fate of Magashule following the recommendations of the party’s integrity commission.

#ANCNEC Closing remarks by the @MYANC President @CyrilRamaphosa have been postponed. There is a tense discussion on all leaders charged to step aside within seven days. Some are arguing against such a move. #sabcnews

— #TheLordOfTheMedia (@samkelemaseko) March 28, 2021

The NEC meeting was expected to take a final decision on whether ANC members and leaders facing charges in court should step aside from their positions pending the finalisation of their matters. Those who are pro- Magashule are against such a move.

Magashule and 15 co-accused are facing 74 charges of fraud, theft, corruption, money laundering – linked to the Free State asbestos saga.

Mtimka says the pro-Magashule faction has put Ramaphosa in a tight spot.

“The challenge is that the camp that has rallied behind Magashule seems to prefer a political situation in which comes before the rule of law, whether that law is the constitution of the ANC or its conference resolutions or the legal framework of the country. Now, it is a camp that believes that there should be no investigation of powerful people within the ANC by law enforcement agencies.”

Political Analyst Ongama Mtimka on the ANC NEC meeting held over the weekend: