Traditionally a road map for the ANC’s annual priorities, this year’s 8 January statement carries added significance because of dynamics in the coalition government. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
There was no love lost between the ANC top brass and its government of national unity (GNU) partner the Democratic Alliance (DA) this week in the build-up to former’s January 8 statement in Mandela Park Stadium in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, on Saturday.
The event marks the ANC’s 113th anniversary and will be the first under the GNU, formed after the party’s electoral support dropped below half in last year’s national and provincial elections.
The friction between the parties intensified after ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile accused the DA-led City of Cape Town of neglecting township communities such as Khayelitsha and Gugulethu.
Walking through the littered streets of Gugulethu, Mashatile pointed to running sewage and piled-up garbage as evidence of poor service delivery.
“We don’t want you to continue living like this,” Mashatile told residents. “When we tell the DA they’re neglecting Khayelitsha and Gugulethu, they dismiss it as nonsense.”
DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille responded sharply on Twitter, calling Mashatile’s claims “bulls*it” and defending the DA’s track record.
Former DA leader Tony Leon echoed Zille’s sentiments, saying the accusations were “inaccurate”.
“The DA government does more for people in Khayelitsha than in Camps Bay,” Zille argued, highlighting the DA’s equitable approach to governance.
DA Western Cape Premier Alan Winde also weighed in, citing the province’s achievements, including more than 500 000 jobs created since 2009 and South Africa’s lowest unemployment rate.
In the country’s most recent audit outcomes, 58% of the municipalities countrywide that received clean audits were in the Western Cape, while the City of Cape Town received its second clean audit in a row.
But the ANC consistently argues that the DA prioritises wealthier areas, which it vehemently denies.
“We spend public funds delivering constitutionally mandated services to all communities, especially the poorest. The ANC should focus on its failures in ANC-led municipalities instead of attacking us,” Zille said.
The GNU, comprising the ANC, DA and smaller parties, has faced internal discord over policy priorities, including economic reform and foreign policy.
Critics in the ANC view the coalition with the DA as a betrayal of the party’s core values but the ANC and president Cyril Ramaphosa have framed the partnership as a pragmatic solution to stabilise governance.
The 8 January statement will test the ANC’s ability to balance its traditional values with the realities of coalition politics.
Analysts believe the address will be important in setting the tone for the ANC’s engagement with its coalition partners and its strategy for rebuilding voter confidence.
The ANC’s choice of Khayelitsha for the celebration is a reflection of its focus on reconnecting with neglected communities.
Amid declining support in urban areas, the party is keen to demonstrate its commitment to addressing the grievances of township residents, Mashatile said.
“The ANC recognises the need to rebuild trust and show tangible improvements in people’s lives.”
As Ramaphosa takes the stage on Saturday, he faces the challenge of articulating a vision that aligns the ANC’s historical mission with the realities of coalition governance.
The statement will serve as a reflection of the ANC’s past achievements and a road map for navigating South Africa’s evolving political landscape.
For the ANC, this year’s 8 January statement is more than an annual tradition, it’s a defining moment for the party’s future and the sustainability of South Africa’s democracy.
Traditionally a road map for the ANC’s yearly priorities, this year’s 8 January statement carries added significance because of dynamics in the coalition government which have left the party at odds with its alliance partners. They have threatened to go forward by themselves after the ANC’s decision to get into bed with the DA.
The South African Communist Party, which has been vocal about the ANC’s “error” in forming a government with the DA, says it expects Ramaphosa to put voters first, and not the GNU partners’ interests, if it hopes to regain its majority.
As the governing party, the ANC had over the years been able to provide policy directives for members and supporters which they were sure would be implemented with ease, but under the GNU, the party has to make promises to its members, which are to be negotiated by its political partners.
With his address, Ramaphosa faces the dual challenge of maintaining the ANC’s relevance while navigating ideological differences with coalition partners and alliance partners.
Speaking to the Mail & Guardian, political analyst Levy Ndou said the ANC said the choice of Mandela Park Stadium, a smaller venue than previous years, signals its intent to engage township residents directly as it seeks to rebuild urban support.
“This is not just symbolic; it’s a blueprint for navigating coalition politics while staying true to the ANC’s historical mission,” he said.
The party dismissed affordability concerns in its selection of the 22 000-capacity stadium, explaining that, while larger venues had been considered, many members of the national executive committee felt the event should take place in a township.
Political analyst Wayne Sussman said as the ANC celebrates its 113th birthday, it must reassure its supporters that it can reverse its downward trajectory.
“The party is coming from its worst-ever electoral performance, so it will be a time for introspection.
“It will need to show that it can regain support in the Western Cape, where it is not very strong electoral wise,” he said.
ANC alliance partner Cosatu’s spokesperson Matthew Parks said while the union supported the ANC, it expected Ramaphosa to not be “wishy-washy on workers’ demands” because of the political context under which it was being delivered.
He added that, to regain the trust of voters, the ANC should focus on acting on corrupt officials who were bringing its brand into disrepute.
“The party must prioritise collective bargaining and tackle corrupt officials responsible for the state of our municipalities.
“With corruption and criminality entrenched, state institutions broken for personal gain and the Freedom Charter’s vision of a non-racial, non-sexist South Africa undermined by a parasitic political class, decisive action is needed to restore public confidence,” Parks said.
Among the ANC veterans expected to participate in its anniversary celebrations are former president Thabo Mbeki and former presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj, according to party spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri.