ANC is starting to implode - parliamentary statement (15 November 2005)The latest salvo in the civil war of the comrades has been widely the publicized claims of rape involving the Deputy President of the ANC. This matter, following closely on the upheavals at the National Intelligence Agency, is cause for great concern. It is simply despicable that something as serious as rape can become a political football. No matter what the truth, the message that has once again been sent to the survivors of rape is that it is better to stay quiet than report these horrendous crimes.
The ANC is degenerating into an unseemly factional war that undermines the image of the country and disrupts service delivery. The focus is no longer on governing in the interests of the people, but rather on who will gain control of the so-called “levers of power”. Senior civil servants have already abused state resources in this internal ANC battle, so it is safe to assume that their juniors are contemplating similar derelictions of duty and abuse of Government resources. Meanwhile Mr Zuma’s reckless campaign against the judiciary continues unabated.
Now we hear rumours of plans to postpone the municipal elections until December next year. That would be an outrage and dangerously undemocratic measure for the ANC to consider. The ANC is bringing the entire country into disrepute. Has it become impossible for the ruling party to protect the most basic democratic principles of respect for the rule of law, conducting regular elections and running a neutral civil service?