ANC mismanaging succession and service delivery - media statement by UDM Secretary General
(21 August 2006)The ruling party has forgotten about its responsibilities as Government, and is now solely concentrating its focus on internal leadership squabbles. They are worried about who should succeed President Mbeki when his term of office lapses. Their ongoing widening cracks and battles directly or indirectly affect the delivery of services throughout the country. Even the ANC President has publicly admitted this during his addresses both inside and outside the ANC.
On numerous occasions we have said that, the whole question of the succession debate should not be confined to one political Party. We have called for electoral reform. The current electoral system in the country deprives the voters their full rights to elect leaders they want, as they are confined to vote for political parties and not public representatives. Now it is high time that South Africa should introduce a mixed electoral system with constituencies. This would ensure that the public representatives become far more accountable to the voters.
President Mbeki made a public call that the nation must debate the issue, but he failed to acknowledge that the nation does not have a mechanism that allows them participate in such a decision-making process. Currently the strongest faction in the ANC will decide. If we follow the current route, prospects are that South Africa might end up with a bad and unqualified candidate.
