By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) deputy president David Mabuza says though the party is afflicted with “demons” of corruption and factionalism, it will survive the do-or-die 2024 national elections.
Mabuza delivered the annual Peter Mokaba memorial lecture in Limpopo on Thursday night.
He says the late Mokaba would have shunned the latest divisions and functions currently affecting the party.
He insisted the idea of the ANC not being in power was simply a dream.
“Those that say the ANC will be voted out of power, I think they are dreaming.”
Mabuza says the ANC still has a lot to offer the country and can be rescued from its own demise.
“Many people are talking about the burial of the ANC in 2024, I can hear them. Some opposition parties are talking about our death, that the ANC is about to die. I don’t believe that.”
Mabuza says the current leadership of the ANC can draw many lessons from the life and times of Mokaba.
He says the emergence of corruption by some ANC members is not an embodiment of what Mokaba stood for.
“Comrade Mokaba would have equally despised the modern-day corruption as much has he hated apartheid corruption. He would have frowned upon the emergence of reported corrupt practices within our ranks.”
“More especially in cases where some members of the ANC are continuously reported to be involved in corruption.
Mabuza also hammered the infighting that is consuming the ANC.
“We must avoid being consumed by internal squabbles. We are seen as an organisation that is at odds with itself. We are seen as people fighting among ourselves as people. This infighting must stop. I am happy to be in Limpopo. You are still better off comrades than other provinces. The conference is over, and we are called upon to disband the lobby groups.”
During the 2019 general election the ANC received 57.5% at the polls and this was during the height of Cyril Ramaphosa’s popularity with the voting majority.
The party has been on a steady decline since 2009 where it received 65.9% and in the following elections that took place in 2014 the ANC dropped to 62.1%.