OPINION | Moral leadership, accountability can turn ANC's fortunes around

The ANC, once a pillar of SA's democracy and one of Africa's most cherished liberation movements, is in what can only be characterised as a political intensive care unit.

And the party is showing no signs of gradually returning to its former glory. Due to several internal and external issues, many people are wondering if the party that freed South Africans from the shackles of apartheid would ever be able to recover or if its decline is irrevocable.

The fundamental cause of the ANC's problems is its incapacity to balance the requirements of running a contemporary democratic developmental state with its identity from the liberation era. Corruption, factionalism and poor administration have damaged public trust for decades.

The party's moral authority has been damaged by high-profile scandals involving state capture and the embezzlement of public monies, which have affected its credibility as a champion of the people's cause regarding service delivery.

These difficulties are made worse by the ANC's internal conflicts. Its inability to put up a united front has been severely hampered by factional conflicts, which are frequently motivated by personal ambitions for personal gratification rather than ideological disagreements.

The ANC's reputation will be further harmed in the incoming 2026 local government elections as a result of this infighting's impact on governance, stalling important organisations like Ithala Bank, VBS Mutual Bank, Transnet, Eskom and several state-owned entities that have led to the postponement of necessary transformation.

Factionalism is a major factor in the party's failure to fulfil its mandate of social justice, economic growth and poverty relief. This is not merely a sign of internal dysfunction. On the outside, the ANC is under increasing pressure from a disenchanted electorate.

After being invincible in the 1994 national elections, the party's support has decreased in each election. South Africans, particularly the younger generation, are using opposition parties or avoiding the political process entirely as a result of their frustration with broken promises. For a party that formerly represented the hopes of a whole country, this pattern is a terrible warning sign.

Despite these obstacles, there is still hope for the former glorious movement. The ANC continues to have substantial resources and influence in some communities, especially in the former homelands and rural areas. Its fortunes may be turned around with a bold and unwavering commitment to accountability, reform and moral leadership. But the clock is ticking.

The next municipal elections could be the decisive factor in determining if the party can return to its previous grandeur or if it will be remembered as a once-great movement that lost its path.

Ultimately, the ANC's ability to survive rests on its shoulders and readiness to face its shortcomings head-on with candour and urgency. The stakes could not be higher for the party and SA's democracy, but the road to recovery will be difficult and mixed with sacrifices and bruising of personalities if the party is sincere about facing their demons for a better future.

• Ngumbela is a senior lecturer in the department of government management at the Central University of Technology