The African National Congress (ANC) has come under heavy criticism for its handling of the country’s leadership, with some political analysts accusing the party of failing the “Born Free” generation and lacking the commitment and expertise needed to govern effectively.
Political analyst Sandile Swana, in an interview with SABC on Friday, did not mince his words when reflecting on the ANC’s performance over the years. He argued that the party had lost its ability to govern and had failed to meet the expectations of South Africans, particularly the younger generation who came of age after the end of apartheid. “The ANC has destroyed the Born Frees,” he said, adding that the party no longer had the skill or will to manage the country’s affairs.
Swana took aim at ANC leadership, particularly party heavyweights like Fikile Mbalula and President Cyril Ramaphosa, whom he dismissed as “deadwood.” According to him, the party’s failures were apparent, and its prospects for recovery were dim. “The ANC is finished. It’s in the dustbin of history,” he declared, stressing that listening to the party’s promises or rhetoric was a waste of time. For Swana, the ANC’s internal divisions and lack of competent leadership have left the country at a standstill.
He was particularly scathing about the ongoing power struggle within the party, referring to the factions led by former President Jacob Zuma and President Ramaphosa. Zuma’s recent letter calling for his reinstatement as ANC leader has added fuel to the fire, and Swana was quick to dismiss both factions as incapable of revitalizing the party. He pointed out the contrasting issues each leader had faced, from the infamous Nkandla scandal to the Phala Phala farm controversy. “Both have destroyed South Africa,” Swana said, referencing the inability of these factions to restore the ANC to its former glory. He highlighted that reports from Stats SA and the Human Sciences Research Council made it clear that neither faction had the competence to turn the tide for the country.
Despite the party’s dire internal strife, the ANC’s 113th birthday celebration in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, was an attempt to reignite its base in the Western Cape. However, the celebration’s smaller scale—held in a stadium with a seating capacity of just 2,000—seemed to reflect the reality of the ANC’s declining influence in the province. While the ANC once enjoyed a two-thirds majority nationwide, its support in the Western Cape has steadily eroded. This is particularly evident in recent election results, where the ANC continues to struggle to gain traction in the province, a long-time bastion of the party.
At the May 29 national elections, the ANC received only 40% of the vote, a sharp decline from previous years. This forced the party into a coalition agreement with smaller parties to form a Government of National Unity (GNU). However, the coalition deal, particularly with the Democratic Alliance (DA), has sparked criticism from both internal and external political analysts. Some have accused the ANC of “selling out,” arguing that by entering into a partnership with the DA, the ANC is betraying its core principles.
Solly Mapaila, the General Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), one of the ANC’s alliance partners, voiced his concern about the GNU. He made it clear that the SACP did not support the coalition arrangement and warned that it could have serious consequences for the ANC’s stability. His statement added another layer of tension to an already fragile political landscape for the ruling party.
As the ANC faces criticism both from within and outside its ranks, the party’s future remains uncertain. The party’s internal divisions, lack of coherent leadership, and diminishing electoral support are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. If the ANC continues on this path, it could find itself further distanced from the very people it once promised to uplift and serve.
