By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former president Thabo Mbeki. Picture: ANC/Twitter.
Former ANC president Thabo Mbeki warns the party’s leadership not to fall into the trap of discussing a second-term for President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Mbeki said that he was concerned some ANC leaders were focused on the governing party’s internal succession debate and squabbles, rather than “serving the ordinary masses of the people”.
“Even at the January 8th [ANC] rally in Limpopo, somebody stands up in a meeting and says ‘long live, second term for Ramaphosa’. What is that?
“South Africa cannot solve its problems without the active involvement and conscience involvement of the ANC because of its size. And so the ANC owes it to the nation to behave itself, “Mbeki said.
Mbeki on Saturday wrapped up his three-day trip to the province. He was in the Free State to foster unity and renewal in the party’s structures after being invited by the ANC interim provincial committee.
He said South Africans who are faced with the reality of soaring joblessness and social inequality, were not concerned with the ANC’s internal succession debate, but their living conditions.
“The ordinary masses of the people are not interested who’s the president of the ANC. But they are interested in an ANC which takes care of the matter of service delivery, takes care of that road in Mangaung, which is a road of potholes,” he said.
Mbeki also said Cosas (the Congress of South African Students) must be protected and not abused for factional battles.
“All of us in the ANC have a responsibility to make sure that we have a good, strong, cohesive Cosas because it represents an important layer of youth in our country. All of these things are part of the process of renewal of the ANC.”
“What we shall do is to make sure we stop the murder of our youth, women and really produce realistic programmes, not just put in words, but practical, that’s part of the renewal process,” he said.
Mbeki has not been to Bloemfotein since 2007 before the ANC’s 52nd national conference where he failed to retain his presidency.