South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) is facing a defining moment, with President Cyril Ramaphosa warning that the party must embrace renewal or risk irrelevance.
Speaking at the ANC’s 113th anniversary celebrations in Cape Town’s Mandela Park Stadium, Ramaphosa acknowledged the existential challenges confronting the party after its historic loss of an outright parliamentary majority in the 2024 elections.
“The 2024 election results confirm that we face an existential crisis: this is a moment where the ANC should either renew or perish,” said Ramaphosa.
The party’s diminished standing prompted the creation of a Government of National Unity, with ten parliamentary parties joining forces to ensure governance stability. However, the ANC remains the dominant political force within the coalition.
Ramaphosa used the occasion to outline the ANC’s six key priorities for 2025, placing the renewal of the party at the center of the agenda. Other critical tasks include addressing the country’s water and energy crises, fixing dysfunctional municipalities, creating jobs through inclusive economic growth, combating crime and corruption, fostering national dialogue, and advancing South Africa’s role on the continent and the world stage. He emphasized that the party must rebuild its grassroots presence to better engage with communities and address their grievances.
"The cornerstone of our renewal agenda therefore remains building our movement's capacity to discharge its historical mission," he said. "This includes strengthening the presence of the ANC in communities through strong ANC branches as centers of development, that engage and listen to citizens, and work with them to address challenges and grievances."
The ANC, which has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, has seen its legacy tarnished by corruption scandals, mismanagement, and faltering public services. Ramaphosa acknowledged these failures, urging the party to demonstrate ethical leadership and unity to regain its position as the nation’s trusted political force.
As the ANC looks ahead to the 2029 elections, Ramaphosa set a goal of reclaiming the parliamentary majority. He stressed that the party’s success would hinge on its ability to deliver meaningful change and address the urgent needs of South Africans.
“The ANC will renew and rebuild itself to unite all South Africans and provide clear, decisive, and ethical leadership in achieving these objectives,” he concluded.