Mbeki laments continued lack of progress on ANC renewal
Former president Thabo Mbeki has once again warned that a failure to renew the ANC will lead to the organisation's downfall.
Mbeki addressed students and alumni of the University of South Africa on Wednesday.
He said it was concerning that, although the party’s past three national conferences put renewal at the top of the agenda, it was yet to be implemented.
Mbeki believes the only way the ANC can cleanse itself of corrupt people is through a rigorous audit of its membership.
"You will see that, in all of these conferences of the ANC I am talking about, the ANC does a critical assessment of itself, and in all of these conferences, the ANC keeps saying the quality of our membership is declining.
“As a result, you have many people who are members of the ANC who are not ANC. They don’t support its value system and its objectives.
“There is a slogan that has become quite popular in that context: better fewer but better, so the ANC has to do that.
“I am raising the question because you deal with corruption issues without that process," said Mbeki.
Mbeki said the ANC’s national executive committee has agreed to hold a two-day meeting to discuss the issue of renewal.
"I think everybody has understood that if you don't deal with this renewal of the ANC, you are sentencing the ANC to death. It will die without that renewal.
“I am saying that is the root of dealing with corruption. It is not just a law matter; we need political intervention.
“The people who ought not to be wearing ANC t-shirts must not be allowed to wear ANC t-shirts," he added.
On the infamous step-aside rule, which is meant to force ANC members accused of wrongdoing to ‘“step aside” from party structures, Mbeki believes the party cannot afford to wait for formal charges to be brought.
Mbeki told the story of a former Free State provincial executive committee member who immediately stepped aside after allegations emerged that he was involved in killing people during taxi wars.
Mbeki lauded the person as a "true cadre" of the ANC, who was later cleared of all charges.
“And he was saying the mere fact that there's a popular view that I'm a murderer tarnishes the image of the ANC, and therefore, I must leave.
“So I like to give that example to say he never said, 'I've not been charged'. That's a genuine ANC member. Anyone who says I'll only step aside when I'm charged, you must know they're not ANC members," said Mbeki.
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