Ramaphosa: ANC “Not on Its Death Throes” Vows The Party Will Keep Leading South Africa

SOUTH AFRICA, THEMBISA – President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the time has come work hard and push very hard on fixing the South Africa’s economy, and he’s brushing off talk that the ANC is on its way out.

The comments are made at a time when the ruling party is facing duress from multiple directions. The economic growth has been sluggish for so many years and the unemployment remains stubbornly high and many households are still hoping to see actual progress in their lives from day to day. . At the same time, the ANC’s support at the ballot box has been slipping, and the party is dealing with legal trouble over candidate lists ahead of the local government elections. In this context, Ramaphosa took the opportunity to clarify the government’s priorities and to vigorously deny claims that the ANC is done.

Speaking on the party’s economic plans, Ramaphosa said the focus now is on renewing and reforming the economy so it can grow again. He believes that if investors see real reform actually taking place, they will be more likely to invest money in the country. “He has said this before, but he emphasized more this time that reform and investment must go together.

“That is precisely what we are focusing on to push our economic growth forward,” he said.

Government has for some time pointed to structural reforms — in energy, transport and other parts of the economy — as the key to getting South Africa’s growth rate up. Business groups and investors have long argued the best way to influence confidence is through the implementation of these reforms faster and with greater visibility rather than mere announcements. Ramaphosa’s remarks suggest he knows he is under pressure and he wants to be seen to be pushing the process along rather than just talking about it.

For many residents, water is now the number one service delivery headache. Despite the drop in load shedding, the daily challenges of water shortages in many communities across the country still persist with taps running dry or with dirty water or not at all. Chronic problems have been blamed on poor maintenance, aging pipes and infrastructure failing to keep up with the growth of cities and towns.

Water is our main concern. “We have made it a national priority,” he said. He also said that “we are working to address the water challenges that are impacting citizens across the country.”

This change has been on the minds of the residents for some time. For many years load shedding was the hot topic of conversation in the country and many people felt that other basic services such as water were neglected to keep the lights on. Ramaphosa’s remarks indicate the government is seeking to demonstrate it has not forgotten the complaints, though it will take time to change the reality on the ground.

The African National Congress is not lying on its death bed.

The party has seen its polling numbers fall in recent years and is currently having to contend with a challenge over its candidate lists for the local government elections, which could see the party lose the chance to lead nine councils outright.

There is much speculation surrounding the ANC’s long reign at the top, especially as newer parties emerge to compete for the same voters.

But Ramaphosa is not buying that story. He says the party’s membership numbers are robust and that it has structures that are in place across the country. He believes that the ANC’s true strength has never been solely derived from election results, but rather from the branches, structures and organization that the party has built over decades in towns and villages that other parties continue to struggle to access.

“The ANC is not on its death throes. The ANC is growing. Our membership is strong,” he said. “The ANC operates wall to wall across the length and the breadth of the country. And it has deep support. It has got structures that work, that are well rooted amongst our people.”

He didn’t hold back when it came to those hoping for the party’s downfall.

“Those who wish that the ANC should die are, you know, having what we call a pipe dream. It’s a pipe dream and it will never happen. The ANC lives and the ANC will continue to lead,” he said.

This is the kind of defiant tone Ramaphosa has adopted in the past when the party’s future has been questioned and it is likely to be heard often as local government elections approach and opposition parties step up their attacks.

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As for the candidate list problems, Ramaphosa says the ANC will wait for the Electoral Court to make its ruling before commenting further. The issue could still cost the party votes in six municipalities spread across the Eastern Cape, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal, where the ANC failed to get its candidate lists in on time.

The absence of those councils would not necessarily be a catastrophic blow in isolation, but it adds to the pressure on the party which is already trying to persuade voters it is the right choice to lead. Either way, the courts are likely to rule in the ANC’s favor and the outcome will simply reinforce the argument Ramaphosa was making that the party is not going anywhere and plans to continue to govern regardless of what critics have to say.

For now, the leadership of the ANC has sent a clear message. The party needs to prove that it deserves the support it is seeking, by fixing the economy and water issues, and not just by rhetoric.