ANC Veteran Warns Party Must Change or Risk Losing Its Political Future

African National Congress (ANC) veteran and former Mpumalanga Premier Dr Mathews Phosa has delivered a scathing assessment of his own political organisation, admitting that the governing party failed South Africans on justice, allowed corruption to undermine its credibility and needs radical internal restructuring to survive.

Phosa made the remarks during a candid appearance on the Frank Dialogue podcast, produced in partnership with Sunday World, where he reflected on the ANC’s record, its political direction and the challenges threatening its future.

In one of the most striking moments of the discussion, Phosa acknowledged that the organisation had failed to deliver justice for victims of apartheid-era atrocities. His admission raises difficult questions about the promises made during South Africa’s transition to democracy and whether the country’s liberation movement has fulfilled the expectations of the people it once represented.

The ANC veteran’s criticism carries particular weight because it comes from someone who has occupied senior positions within the organisation and previously served as Mpumalanga premier.

Rather than limiting his assessment to the party’s shortcomings on historical justice, Phosa also highlighted the damaging impact of corruption, suggesting that the movement had lost its way.

His comments point to a deeper problem within the organisation, where the principles that once defined its political identity have increasingly been overshadowed by allegations of corruption and failures in leadership.

For many South Africans, the question of accountability for apartheid-era crimes remains an important part of the country’s unfinished democratic journey. Phosa’s admission that the ANC dropped the ball on justice therefore places renewed attention on the party’s responsibility towards victims and their families.

However, his most significant proposal concerned the ANC’s internal structures.

Phosa argued that the party needed to completely dissolve compromised branch structures as part of a broader effort to rebuild the organisation. His position suggests that simply changing individual leaders may not be enough to address the problems facing the movement.

The proposal also raises questions about how the ANC can restore public confidence when its internal structures are themselves being criticised by one of its experienced members.

His intervention comes amid continued scrutiny of the party’s leadership, governance record and ability to reconnect with ordinary South Africans.

The podcast appearance offers a rare opportunity to hear a veteran of the movement openly confront some of the organisation’s most difficult challenges.

Phosa’s message is particularly significant because it is not coming from an opposition politician but from within the ANC’s own ranks.

Can the ANC genuinely rebuild itself by dissolving compromised branch structures and confronting its failures, or has the party already lost too much public trust? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

Source:https://x.com/SundayWorldZA/status/2116843954100437028?a=KkyEQpuPjmKpQcJLgoQ&s=19

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