African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a stark warning to his party on Saturday, stating the liberation movement “will perish” if it fails to renew itself. The message came during his political report at the party’s National General Council (NGC), a midterm review held amid the ANC’s most serious electoral crisis since taking power.
The meeting, held in Boksburg, was dominated by the party’s steep electoral decline in this year’s elections, which saw its vote share drop to roughly 40%. This result forced the ANC into a Government of National Unity for the first time in 30 years, a reality underscoring Ramaphosa’s urgent call for change.
Central to his proposed renewal is a rigorous purge of corrupt and criminal elements within the party’s ranks. “The criteria for membership and screening process to rid the ANC of criminals is an important part of the renewal process,” Ramaphosa told delegates. He called for tightened leadership election processes and stricter enforcement of discipline.
In direct terms, Ramaphosa outlined who should be expelled: “the criminals, the corrupt, the careerists, extortionists and factionalists, and those who actively work against the organization should find themselves outside of the African National Congress.”
The President diagnosed the ANC as a party that has “lost its way” but retains a chance to self-correct. To win back voters, he argued, the party must demonstrate tangible action. “We have to earn that trust through our actions, not our words,” he said, expressing hope that public attitude could shift from “cynicism” to “absolute embrace” if renewal is successful.
He also issued a rare admonishment of a culture of flashy materialism among leaders, stating, “This practice of showing off to our people either our wealth, our cars as we drive in our communities must come to an end. The ANC serves the people.”
However, the bold commitments inside the NGC venue stood in stark contrast to the scene outside. Protesting ANC staff members challenged public claims by ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula that all staff salaries had been paid. A staff spokesperson outlined ongoing grievances, stating, “Our issues are broad and they evolve around three issues. There’s late payment of salaries, the non-payment of our contribution to Providence Fund, our non-payment of contribution to the medical aid.”
The staffer noted these were the same issues that led to protests at the party’s 2022 policy conference, indicating persistent internal dysfunction.
The NGC is set to continue its deliberations over the next four days, with the party leadership stating it hopes to leave “enthused and committed to a turnaround.” President Ramaphosa’s clear message has set the terms: the ANC must now prove it can translate his words into decisive action, or risk the peril he described.