ANC on the brink: Panyaza Lesufi calls for urgent reform as leadership crisis deepens

Our people want jobs. They do want to hear about our internal fights" These are the words of Panyaza Lesufi, the ANC's Provincial chairperson and Gauteng provincial task team coordinator.

On Wednesday evening, following the official opening of the party's 18th Regional Conference at Cedarwoods Conference Centre, Lesufi called out the DA and corrupt practices within the ANC, in a scathing review of the status of ANC politics.

Lesufi highlighted the urgent need for reform in a party grappling with severe internal strife and declining public support.

Lesufi’s impassioned plea painted a stark picture of the realities facing the ANC, which he described as a potential "sinking ship." He told party members that, in the face of dwindling electoral support at national, provincial, and local levels, they must mobilise their efforts to avert further catastrophe. "We must save the ANC, and we must not allow it to become a sinking ship," he stated.

At the heart of his address was a call for introspection. Lesufi firmly rejected the notion that the ANC has lost support due to a shift in public allegiance towards smaller political parties. Instead, he laid blame squarely on the leadership for distancing itself from the very constituents it is meant to serve.

"Our people are very clear that they have not left us, but we, as the leaders, have left our people," he stated, shedding light on the pressing concerns of unemployment and the struggle for survival faced by many South Africans.

Lesufi emphasised that much of the public's disenchantment with the ANC stems from perceived indifference to their plight.

"They raise sharply the issues they believe we have neglected. Our people are unemployed. They want jobs, and we have demonstrated to them that we do not have a plan or a programme to give them jobs," he lamented, echoing the sentiments of countless citizens wrestling with economic hardship.

Lesufi pointed out that the corruption within the party has been exemplified by ongoing investigations such as the Madlanga Commission. Lesufi described the revelations from this commission as "deeply embarrassing," warning that the party's reputation is at stake if urgent changes are not made. He acknowledged that these issues have severely damaged public trust, which is now a "hurdle" in the party's ability to connect and engage with the electorate.

Warning against complacency, Lesufi stated, "You play with power comrades, it is gone. It will never come back. You must watch what happened in Cape Town and the Western Cape," he added.

This three-day regional elective conference also features a significant contest for leadership between current Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, who aims to maintain his position as regional chairperson, and Loyiso Masuku, a member of the mayoral committee for finance. The outcome could reflect the internal challenges Lesufi alluded to, as delegates weigh leadership styles amidst the backdrop of a party in turmoil.

Lesufi further added the conference and the upcoming NGC are not about individual brilliance, but about showcasing the best of what the ANC has to offer.

“We are not here to show individual strength. We have come here for the soul of the organisation. We are not coming here to be members of a member; you are coming here to be members of the organisation. The challenges that you need to confront from now on are real,” Lesufi said.