POLL | Do you think divisions and factions in the ANC are a threat to SA’s democracy?

The ANC’s deepening divisions and factionalism remain the biggest threat to the party and the country’s democracy. 

This is according to the ruling party’s president Cyril Ramaphosa, who was making his closing remarks at the ANC national executive committee (NEC) lekgotla held at the weekend.

Ramaphosa cautioned about “counter-revolution” threats within the governing party, saying ANC leaders and members must not lower their guard.

“The ANC needs to commit towards deepening and defending the national democratic revolution. Counter-revolution is wearing a different countenance in our country. There are expressions of democracy under threat which are a result of loss of ethical compass and moral direction,” he said. 

Ramaphosa also noted there was widespread acceptance that the ANC, as an organisation, is troubled by severe challenges including weak structures, internal conflicts, factionalism and members and leaders acting out of self-interest rather than in furtherance of the cause of the people.

“This has damaged the ANC’s standing as a servant of the people and leader of society. If we do not make a decisive break with the practices that have caused this decline in our standing, we will cease to be a trusted and effective agent of change,” he said.

“The ANC will therefore intensify the fundamental renewal of our movement as mandated by the 54th national conference and reaffirmed by the January 8 statement.

“We will be principled and decisive in ridding our movement from practices that prevent us from serving the people with distinction. Renewal is a process, and we will experience successes and setbacks.”

Making an oblique reference to tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu, Ramaphosa said the lekgotla reaffirmed its support for the constitution and the judiciary.

“The ANC and the [Tripartite] Alliance reaffirm our support for the constitution, the bill of rights and the judiciary and distance ourselves from narratives that seek to negate its transformative intent and gains,” said Ramaphosa.

This comes after Sisulu’s recent controversial opinion piece in which she took aim at the constitution and black judges.

In the piece titled “Hi Mzansi, have we seen justice?”, she suggested black judges are “mentally colonised Africans who have settled with the world view and mindset of those who have dispossessed their ancestors”.

The presidency issued a statement last week saying Ramaphosa had met Sisulu and “admonished” her over the piece. It claimed the minister had retracted her piece, pledged her “support for the judiciary” and “conceded her words were inappropriate”.

However, Sisulu distanced herself from the statement, saying she stood by her article. The presidency then hit back, saying it stood by its earlier comments.

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