Members of the African National Congress (ANC) has a difficult question to answer, as they are meeting for their 5th National General Council (NGC) in the Ekurhuleni Region, Gauteng, from 8 to 11 December 2025 under the theme:
“The Year of Renewal to Make the ANC a More Effective Instrument of the People to Achieve the Vision of the Freedom Charter: The People Shall Govern! The People Shall Share in the Wealth of the Country!”
Can the ANC as a people’s revolutionary movement for the transformation of South Africa, the African continent, self-correct and repair itself?
Can the same party correct itself through sustained and concrete actions that prioritise their voters over internal party interests?
Can the NGC assist the party to deepen the renewal of organisational culture, restore revolutionary discipline, and reinforce the ANC’s character as a united, people-centred movement for social and economic justice?
It is impossible for the ANC to hide party challenges such as corruption, poor service delivery, and deployment of “incompetent people” who have no capacity to lead and govern. The ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe was recently criticised for speaking about municipal councillors who have no capacity. Speaking the truth without fear, the courageous Mantashe criticised the ANC councillors for being vuvuzelas or “loud in song” but lacking the “capacity dololo.”
Highlighting the importance of effective municipal management and service delivery, Mantashe and party president Cyril Ramaphosa sparked a debate within the party about competence versus morale and urging them to learn from the Democratic Alliance (DA), which is an opposition party. While speaking at the provincial general council (PGC) in the North West province, Mantashe apologised for his comments about councillors who have no capacity, but continued to say singing and making noise in meetings is not enough. Potchefstroom is a town full of potholes under the leadership of the ANC mayor, according to Mantashe. He criticised the ANC councillors for failing to deliver basic services like water and sewage. Failing to take action on urgent community issues and managing municipalities.
The party is still finding it difficult to transform itself into an “ethical, caring and effective political formation, as part of a process of self-reflection, correction, and renewal, ensuring that the ANC remains relevant and effective.
The 5th NGC is a critical midterm platform between national conferences to assess the movement’s progress in implementing the resolutions of the 55th National Conference.
According to the party, the NGC remains the largest political school of the movement, bringing together delegates from ANC branches, regional and provincial structures, members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), the Leagues, Veterans, Members of Parliament, the Alliance, and formations of the mass democratic movement.
“It is here that cadres converge to renew their commitment to the people’s cause and sharpen their ideological understanding of the movement’s historic mission and prevailing context. At its core, the 5th NGC is a gathering of revolutionaries dedicated to rebuilding and strengthening the ANC as a people’s revolutionary movement for the transformation of South Africa, the African continent, and the world.”
With the party’s recent loss of its outright majority and entry into a Government of National Unity (GNU), the ANC members will have a rigorous discussion, ideological engagement, and strategic direction on the organisational and political challenges confronting the movement in the current phase of struggle. The party has been criticised for working with the DA than the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the MK Party of the former ANC members. While some view the GNU as an external force that could potentially “assist the ANC to recover” and lead to cleaner governance.
As it is expected, the GC will receive and deliberate on the Political Report, Midterm Report, Reports from Subcommittees, and the Financial Report, each forming part of the collective reflection on the state, progress, and renewal of the ANC, but every important document in the ANC remains a forgotten document.
The slogan of renewal and document of Freedom Charter are nothing but slogans with no action and accountability. The party has failed to remove the hands that were involved in breaking the party and it is using the same hands in renewing itself. Persistent factional battles are seen as major impediments to effective governance and genuine self-correction, as municipal mayoral candidates are chosen based on their factions and slates.
While factions are not assisting the party to grow and improve, it has been reported by the Sunday World, that Ramaphosa could face a move to unseat him at the NGC, with former president Thabo Mbeki installed as a caretaker president. The publication has accused two deputy ministers, Mondli Gungubele (Communications) and Joe Phaahla (Health). The party said the reports are “misleading and destructive reporting.”
