Bheki Mutoro. (file photo)
ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo has condemned all party leaders for the ANC's poor performance in the May 29 general election and called for collective responsibility within the party.
In a political speech in the General Gizenga-Mpansa area on Thursday night, Mr Mutolo refuted claims that the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) should be dissolved due to the party's defeat in the KwaZulu-Natal polls. did.
Mr Mutolo lamented the perception that the blame for the ANC's loss of power was solely in KwaZulu-Natal, where it had managed to maintain some level of support until May, but since 2009 the party has lost ground nationally. He pointed out that the country was losing its power.
“It's as if the ANC's failures were solely due to KwaZulu-Natal,” he said. “But the truth is that the party started losing power in 2009. That year, KwaZulu-Natal was still an ANC stronghold, but the party started losing support across other provinces. By 2014, this trend was only getting worse.”
The ANC secured less than 17% of the vote in KwaZulu-Natal in May elections, which is believed to have been due to several factors, including the growing influence of the Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party. are.
Mr Mtolo argued that the ANC's decline could not be explained solely by KwaZulu-Natal's performance, but was the result of a lack of leadership at all levels, from branches to national structures.
He said the poor performance in the state was symptomatic of broader problems facing the ANC nationally. He said internal divisions and a lack of accountability had left the party in turmoil and the ANC would continue to struggle to regain public trust until leaders at all levels accepted their role in this decline. He said he was deaf.
Comrades, the question we must now ask ourselves is: At what point are all the members and all the leaders of the ANC branches, constituencies, sub-regions and PEC? [to] Will the people accept that the loss of the ANC is all our fault because we all contributed to it? ’ Only then can we transform the ANC into what it is meant to be. ”
After losing the Civil War, he pointed to Confederate General Robert E. Lee, who took full responsibility for the defeat. Mr Mutolo used this example to emphasize his view that the ANC has not honestly reflected on its own shortcomings.
“When General Lee was asked about the loss, he said, 'It's my fault,'” Mutoro said.
“He did not blame the soldiers or avoid responsibility. He accepted the consequences of his decisions. This is the leadership the ANC needs, leadership that takes responsibility rather than blaming. is.”
“At what point will we admit that the loss of the ANC is our collective fault?” he asked. “Unless we have this moment of honesty, we will not be able to restore the ANC to its former glory.”
The comments followed a letter from ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula calling for a meeting with the PEC to discuss the ANC's latest setbacks.
The meeting was originally scheduled for Saturday, but will now be held on Monday, party officials said.
Mr Mutolo acknowledged that the KwaZulu-Natal leadership played a role in the election defeat, but stressed that all levels of the party must accept some of the blame.
“The provincial leadership has already accepted responsibility for the defeat in KwaZulu-Natal,” Mutolo said. “But we must be clear: Every organization, every leader, must own their part in this defeat.”
The situation in KwaZulu-Natal has become increasingly tense, with the provincial leadership under intense scrutiny over its handling of the election, resulting in it forming a coalition with the Democratic Alliance and Inkatha Freedom Party to maintain a semblance of power. was forced to. .
Many ANC leaders have previously suggested that the state leadership needs to be overhauled to counter the influence of Jacob Zuma's MK party, which has emerged as the ANC's rival.
The national task force has already indicated that it will recommend changes to state leadership, and recommendations are expected to be submitted to the national executive committee meeting in mid-December.
