A political analyst is of the view that African National Congress (ANC) has drifted from its support base. The party celebrates its 113th anniversary this week.
Tessa Dooms, director at Rivonia Circle, called on the liberation party’s leadership to reflect on its current state. ANC plunged below 50% in the May 2024 election, forcing it to form a coalition government.
“The ANC that has the strong tradition of being the ‘people’s party’ has become about individuals in the last 15 years,” she said, in an interview with Salaamedia on Thursday.
She added: “It’s become about personality politics and that has infected the rest of our political landscape. It has detached itself from ground politics and organising in communities”.
Yesterday, President Cyril Ramaphosa and senior party leaders visited Robben Island. Tour guides informed them about conditions as they were when anti-apartheid activists were incarcerated at the height of apartheid.
On Saturday, he will deliver the “January 8th statement” in Khayelitsha Stadium. With enough seats for just 22 000 people, it is much smaller than the 100 000-capacity FNB Stadium the party filled easily in the past.
Dooms said stadium rallies were merely PR exercises in which people were “propped” because “the ANC can’t get genuine support”.
“It’s a signal to all political parties that they need to start getting serious about not just mobilising for optics, but organising for genuine support,” she said.
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Picture: Mail & Guardian
