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Few would dispute that the ANC is currently in its weakest state ever in its 103 years of existence.
Challenged by this, it appears paralysed.
At the core of its weakness is the rot of individual interest, which manifests itself in the form of corruption and massive looting of state-owned enterprises.
The ANC leadership at all levels has proven indecisive in confronting and eliminating this scourge of parasitism.
These are indications that the organisation does not listen to the opinions of the nucleus of the motive forces of our revolution, the working class.
As a result, tragically, the ANC’s self-inflicted state of collapse mirrors that of other liberation movements after their independence breakthroughs.
I question whether the ANC national conference in December can save the ANC from its political and moral decay; if it is to do so there will need to be a massive shift in the balance of forces in the next few months.
Our people are fast losing confidence in the ANC and its government due to massive scandals involving those who are given a rare privilege to serve our people in the corridors of government.
The information exposed in the report of the South African Council of Churches’ unburdening panel and the academics’ analysis of the patterns of state capture, as well as emails exposing the corruption network involving President Jacob Zuma and his family, have caused great distress across our movement and thus contributed – in the absence of decisive principled response by leadership – to its paralysis.
The toxic parasitic network that has inflicted such severe damage on the standing and support of the ANC will have to be destroyed root and branch, in line with the South African Communist Party’s long-standing challenge to the ANC to adopt a zero-tolerance approach on parasitism and corruption.
At this critical juncture in the history of our liberation movement the working class led by communists in the SACP must move to the front in defence of our revolution.
This renewal of the movement’s leadership must seek the support of all democrats and patriots.
The SACP’s 14th national congress in July must consider all options – including a direct electoral route – because the ANC seems no longer capable of leading the national democratic revolution.
The SACP may be facing two options; loyalty to a rotten ANC unwilling or unable to correct itself, or assuming itself leadership of the national democratic revolution, reconnecting with our people and radicalising the class struggle.
The choice to be made between these two options is clear. Leadership of the revolution can no longer be entrusted to any class formation other than the working class, in relation to which the SACP must play its vanguard role.
The 14th national congress of the SACP presents an opportunity for the SACP to assert its leadership role in the revolution.
It has become necessary and urgent to save the working class and our revolution from the vicious and toxic parasitic network that threatens our revolution.
Benson Ngqentsu is the SACP Western Cape provincial secretary
