The ANC can cry foul but the heat is on

The ANC has a very thick political hide – and most criticism of it merely bounces off. Critics can be accused of everything from racism to playing political games.

But, lately, that hide is looking thinner as the stinging barbs come from both within the organisation itself or from credible parts of civil society.

The comrades at Luthuli House may finally be realising they are in danger of their people turning against them.

On the other hand, that self-awareness is not present in all the apparatchiks, a number of whom are increasingly seeing themselves as victims.

No less a personage than the head of the Presidency, Sibongile Besani, said on social media this week that “we will survive the onslaught from all angles”, adding: “ANC lives!”

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We wonder if that might be whistling in the political graveyard to cheer up party spirits – especially given the extraordinary take on the resignation of party stalwart Mavuso Msimang by party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.

He complained that, by not keeping his strong criticism of the party to discussions behind closed doors, Msimang was “de-campaigning” the ANC ahead of next year’s elections.

The remarks by these two senior ANC politicians are a clear indication that its leaders are still not ready to accept culpability – because of the organisation’s looting and incompetence – for the fact that South Africa is well on the way to becoming a failed state.

This means we are unlikely to see much introspection and humility during its election campaigns. Expect to see various scapegoats dragged out and flayed in public, with large doses of vitriolic “ whataboutery” directed at opponents and critics.

That, in turn, will be a clear indication that the organisation has no intention of handing over power. The worrying question, of course, is: to what lengths will it go to achieve that?

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