‘If we don’t adapt, we’ll die’: Maropene Ramokgopa says ANC should start behaving like a political party
Ramokgopa said the ANC has not adapted to 'what exactly a political party needs to do'
Maropene Ramokgopa, the second deputy secretary-general of the African National Congress (ANC), has called on her party to adopt a more conventional political approach, rather than maintaining the image of a liberation movement. She made these remarks while addressing the party's commemoration of the 109th birthday of Oliver Reginald Tambo, one of the longest-serving presidents of the ANC.
"Of course, exile also taught the movement that survival requires adaptation," Ramokgopa stated. "If we do not adapt, we will die." She emphasized that the current circumstances are fundamentally different from those of the apartheid era and that the methods that worked in the past may not be sufficient in the present or future.
Ramokgopa noted that the ANC, while still proud of its struggle credentials, must adapt to the current political landscape in South Africa. "We have to go out there to be a political party that must win elections," she added.
The ANC's tactics over the past three decades have been primarily those of a liberation party, which Ramokgopa believes makes it challenging to appeal to modern voters. "We have not really adapted properly into what exactly a political party needs to do," she pointed out.
To become a stronger political contender since 1994, Ramokgopa suggested that the ANC should explore new ideas and systems. She also urged the party to reassess the socio-economic situation in South Africa and globally, keeping in mind its role within the National Democratic Revolution (NDR).
Additionally, Ramokgopa addressed internal divisions within the ANC, stressing the importance of unity. "The tension, you can actually take a knife and cut it – you know exactly where to cut," she said. She urged ANC members to prioritize the party's interests over their personal ambitions and acknowledged the need for self-criticism within the organization. "When an organization is in difficulty, it is tempting to treat criticism as a threat to cohesion," she concluded.
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