This article is an expanded version of my commentary published in The Star newspaper.
You can find the original piece here: SACP’s Solly Mapaila Claims Ramaphosa Unfit for ANC Renewal Amid Phala Phala Controversy.
The recent remarks by SACP Secretary-General Solly Mapaila, who has questioned President Cyril Ramaphosa’s ability to lead the ANC’s renewal, may oversimplify the profound challenges facing the party.
Mapaila’s comments, made in a recent Sunday World podcast, point to Ramaphosa’s alleged involvement in the Phala Phala farm scandal as a disqualifier.
While a corruption-free leadership is undoubtedly essential, a clean slate alone would hardly be enough to “renew” the ANC.
The scandal is but one small reflection of the broader structural issues within the party, suggesting that Mapaila’s criticisms extend beyond Ramaphosa to the ANC’s coalition with the Democratic Alliance and other systemic problems.
ANC’s Elusive “Renewal” Mantra
The ANC has long touted the concept of renewal, yet this vision has yet to materialise in any meaningful way.
The idea of “renewal” seems rooted in nostalgia for the party’s earlier, idealised era, when it operated outside the government, in exile, and under a ban.
During those formative years, its leaders and supporters were arguably driven by a shared desire for freedom and democratic governance rather than by today’s endemic “stomach politics” and corruption.
But as the ANC’s governance record has shown, that vision has not translated well into the realities of leading a nation.
In reality, the discourse around renewal has largely become a rhetorical exercise—an attempt to invoke the party’s past rather than address present-day challenges.
Renewal, by definition, implies a return to former glory. But it is unlikely that the circumstances which shaped the ANC in its struggle years can be revived.
Instead of clinging to an elusive ideal of renewal, the ANC might better serve the country by committing to effective governance in the present and looking forward.
Whether that future is in government or opposition, as voter support declines, remains to be seen.
A Question of Feasibility
In truth, it may be unrealistic to think that the ANC can undergo genuine renewal. Attempting to rebuild the party’s image and values is, frankly, a fool’s errand.
Where does one even begin? Conference declarations and policy documents are of little use when the party, and its approach to governance, is so deeply flawed.
Some structures are beyond renovation—they need to be entirely dismantled. Perhaps only from such a foundational reset could something new, more capable of addressing today’s challenges, emerge.
Ramaphosa’s Position and the Phala Phala Controversy
As for Ramaphosa, his alleged involvement in the Phala Phala scandal is far from his only vulnerability. In many political systems, a leader who presides over a significant loss of power would be expected to step down.
Ramaphosa’s presidency has overseen a country grappling with worsening issues—entrenched corruption, rampant crime, rising inflation, illegal migration, staggering unemployment, deepening poverty, a sluggish economy, and the spread of mafia-like economies within sectors such as construction and public transport.
Expecting Ramaphosa to spearhead the ANC’s renewal while overseeing such a dire state of affairs seems, at best, unrealistic. Mapaila’s scepticism is, therefore, understandable.
Whether Ramaphosa is fit to lead the party’s renewal may not be the primary question—the larger issue is whether the ANC, as it currently operates, is capable of renewal at all.
In the end, the ANC’s fixation on “renewal” might need to give way to a new kind of transformation: a forward-thinking approach to governance that discards outdated ideals in favour of pragmatic, inclusive, and effective leadership.
Mzoxolo Mpolase
m.mpolase@politicalanalysis.co.za
