On February 13 2018, political analyst Somadoda Fikeni fittingly described the DA as “busy mutilating itself in a corner, unprovoked”.
This was at the height of bitter internal squabbles which were later identified as one of the reasons the opposition party’s support dropped from 22.23% to 20.77% in the 2019 national and provincial polls.
This was the first time the DA had failed to grow its electoral support.
This week Fikeni’s analysis of the DA crisis perfectly described the chaos, confusion, circus and infighting playing out in the ANC.
After years of boiling tensions between ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa and secretary-general Ace Magashule, the deep divisions spilt over into the open on Wednesday night with the former Free State premier seemingly and childishly “suspending” his nemesis.
But here’s the catch: Magashule does not have the power to unilaterally suspend anyone, let alone the head of the party.
His rogue cowboy act is expected to be discussed at what is likely going to be a highly charged ANC national executive committee meeting this weekend.
Ramaphosa’s allies are going to the crucial meeting oozing with confidence, saying they not only have the numbers to rubber-stamp Magashule’s suspension, but they have the party’s constitution on their side.
While Magashule has dug in his heels, refusing to step aside until his criminal case — in which he faces more than 21 corruption, fraud and money-laundering charges for the asbestos tender in the Free State — has been wrapped up, it is not clear what other ace he might have up his sleeve.
But one thing is for sure, though. Opposition parties must be enjoying the chaos as this bodes well for their chance of convincing voters to dump the ANC for them. Whether they will succeed remains to be seen.
And with regions in the Eastern Cape going to elective conferences from later this month, the infighting, as conferences are divisive by nature, will likely continue leading up to the October 27 municipal elections.
Unfortunately when it is ANC v ANC, it is the residents who suffer as service delivery takes a back seat.
Whatever the outcome of the infighting, ordinary people care only about one thing — improved services.
HeraldLIVE
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