Wednesday marks the 113th anniversary of the African National Congress (ANC), tracing its origins to 1912. The ANC boasts a storied history as a leading force in the fight for South Africa’s freedom. However, in recent decades, the organisation has faced challenges including governance issues, corruption, and internal conflict, threatening its legacy. As South Africa prepares to host the G20 summit this year and heads into local elections next year, questions arise about what lies ahead for the ANC in its 113th year.
Political analyst Sandile Swana emphasized the need for the ANC to reflect deeply on its journey and current state.
“Part of that reflection would be to ask why the South African Native Congress formed and eventually the African National Congress as we know it today. When you establish something, you set objectives, and after some time, you must review whether those objectives are being met. The negotiations of the 1990s, leading to the 1994 democratic transition and the 1996 Constitution, aimed to achieve the ambitions set 113 years ago. That is basically the situation,” said Swana.
Swana highlighted that during its first 15 years in power, the ANC made significant progress, improving the economy, creating jobs, and enjoying strong voter support. “However, this began to decline after achieving 69.69% of the national vote. Following the Polokwane conference, the ANC abandoned its work ethic and failed dismally in the economy, leading to rising unemployment. Today, 12.2 million South Africans face long-term unemployment,” he noted.
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
Photo: X/@ANCWestern_Cape
