Naledi Pandor: South Africans Now View ANC With “Disdain, Horror And Shame”

South Africa’s former International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor has said the ANC has lost its former glory, with many South Africans now viewing the once-revered liberation movement with “disdain, horror and shame.”

Pandor, an ANC veteran, made the remarks while delivering a lecture during the centenary celebration of former ANC Women’s League president Gertrude Shope on Sunday.

Shope, who passed away in May, was a former Member of Parliament and veteran activist. She would have turned 100 this month. Said Pandor:

“Ma’ Shope would have been dismayed at our faltering progress.

“She was a keen observer of our country’s development over the past 30 years of democracy, and noted several advances which I sometimes had the opportunity to discuss with her – advances in education, science, innovation and technology, in growing our international trade, and in improving access to basic social services…

“She knew of the corruption that has dragged down the revolutionary morality of our leaders. She was aware of our failures at local government level and of the inadequate capacity to serve, which is so prevalent in our public service.

“She was keenly aware of the decline of her beloved organisation, the African National Congress (ANC) – a decline not just in electoral outcomes but also in the party’s ability to reflect the values of leadership and commitment to serve the people.”

Pandor urged women in the movement to rise and reclaim the ANC’s historic mission, following the party’s decline in support and its loss of a parliamentary majority for the first time in May 2024. She said:

“Now, having suffered from being called an ‘old woman’ by ANC members, I really hope we create value out of intergenerational cooperation.

“Older women have a great deal to offer, young women have a great deal to offer – and working together, we would be a strong force.”

The ANC faced a historic electoral setback in the 2024 general elections, losing its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years. The party secured just 159 of the 400 seats, a drop of 71 compared to the previous term.

The loss paved the way for the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU), which has been marked by tensions, particularly between the ANC and white-dominated parties such as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+).

More: IOL

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