Zuma confident about ANC success

When the ANC was formed, no one ever believed it will ever succeed and liberate South Africa.

Political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi spoke to News24 on the eve of the NGC, which gets under way in Midrand on Friday, about what is expected from the conference.

He also chastised factionalism and so-called kingmakers in the party.

Since the ANC’s 2012 elective conference in Mangaung, it has lost over a third of its membership, dropping from over 1,2-million to just under 700,000.

“We have continuously received an overwhelming number of votes in the national general elections; thank the millions of people who voted for the ANC in the last elections and acknowledge the hard work of all the tiers and structures during that period”. The party admitted losing considerable support to both the official opposition the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the ANC’s breakaway party the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

The ANC’s Secretary-General, Gwede Mantashe, has unequivocally stated that there will not be any compromise from the ruling party on the highly controversial Private Security Industry Regulation Amendment (PSIRA) Bill, amid calls from crucial trade partners such as the us to remove certain sections of the Bill – in particular the clause requiring foreign-owned security companies to sell at least 51 percent of their businesses to locals.

“This should be a matter of real concern to the ANC since the rural masses constitute our solid base, which has continued to hold”. The ANC won the 2014 national elections with a 62% majority, a hefty majority but a decline from more than 65% in the previous election.

He was speaking at a gala dinner last night, ahead of the ruling party’s National General Council which starts in Johannesburg today.

Mantashe’s organisational report on Friday also dealt with corruption. It’s part of every political system.

“Factionalism will be raised all the time; it is a challenge facing all political parties”. The organisation must have the capacity to absorb the pain.

On Saturday, ANC delegates will break into commissions to debate ways to improve and strengthen the organisation during the party’s three-day gathering that ends on Sunday.

Susan Booysen, a professor at Wits University’s school of governance and the author of The African National Congress and the Regeneration of Political Power, told me that Mr Ramaphosa is not guaranteed to be the next president.

The Mail & Guardian reported in May that even members of the National Executive Committee were not taking the commission seriously.