The once dominant ANC lost 17% of its 2019 vote share during the recent elections, losing 71 seats in parliament
Former President Thabo Mbeki said if the African National Congress (ANC) wants to survive, the party must change the actions it takes and reconnect with the people.
Mbeki made the remarks during a discussion on challenges facing the ANC last week.
The former president echoed similar sentiments in September saying the ANC’s actions, not words, will be crucial in determining if it can win back support from the electorate.
Watch Thabo Mbeki explain what the ANC needs to do to survive
“If the ANC wants to survive, it must show in the practical actions it takes.” – Former President Thabo Mbeki speaking during the discussion on challenges facing the ANC.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/yBDtA1enBy
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) December 7, 2024
‘ANC reflection’
Mbeki said the must reflect on its “deeds” to reassure its supporters.
“If the ANC wants to survive, it must show in the practical actions it takes, so the people themselves can say ‘this is a renewed ANC,’ not because the ANC said so, but because its deeds say so.
“These are two major challenges, renewal of the ANC and the use of State power by the ANC to do the right thing.
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ANC waning support
In September, during a renewal drive in the Free State, aiming to mend years of factional conflicts and political instability in the province, Mbeki said the ANC must be concerned about the waning support for the party.
“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.
“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 emphasised the ANC would fail to “defend the revolution” without dedicated revolutionaries within its ranks.
ANC forms GNU
During the national and provincial election in May, the once dominant ANC lost 17% of its 2019 vote share, losing 71 seats in parliament after the elections.
This forced the party to make a deal with other parties including the Democratic Alliance (DA) to form a government of national unity (GNU) for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994.
With the ANC having lost its majority in the election, the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) tasked Mbeki to traverse the country and visit all provinces in an effort to renew the organization.
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