KIMBERLEY, South Africa – President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted on May 16 that the ruling ANC faces significant obstacles in rebuilding public confidence, emphasizing the critical need for ethical leadership and genuine community engagement. Speaking at the ANC Northern Cape Provincial Executive Committee induction session, Ramaphosa addressed the party’s declining support and outlined strategies to reconnect with voters.
“The Northern Cape remains one of South Africa’s poorer provinces with both unemployment and the percentage of people living in poverty increasing on an ongoing basis,” Ramaphosa said during his political overview at the gathering in Kimberley. The President stressed that party leaders must prioritize rebuilding trust through ethical conduct and responsive governance.
The ANC’s electoral decline has become increasingly apparent, with the party suffering its worst setback in the 2024 general elections when its parliamentary majority plunged to 40%, forcing it into a coalition government for the first time since coming to power in 1994. The party received only 40.18% of votes nationwide, a dramatic decline from previous elections.
Political analysts attribute this erosion of support to widespread public frustration with poor service delivery, persistently high unemployment, endemic poverty, and numerous corruption scandals that have plagued the party. Public confidence in government institutions has steadily eroded since 1994, particularly at the municipal level, with declining trust in parliament and other governmental bodies beginning during former president Jacob Zuma’s term.
Ramaphosa urged ANC branch leaders to anchor themselves firmly in local communities and serve with integrity. He issued a stern warning against the appointment of unqualified individuals to government positions, cautioning that such practices further undermine the party’s credibility.
“We need to ensure that the ANC not only regains ground, but regains the trust and confidence of our people,” Ramaphosa stated earlier this year during the party’s 113th anniversary celebrations. This message has become a recurring theme as the party confronts its declining electoral fortunes.
The President has emphasized renewal as central to the ANC’s strategy moving forward. “As the ANC, we are determined to regain public confidence and return as a majority party in the next elections,” the party officially declared in its January 8th statement.
Despite these challenges, Ramaphosa maintains that the Government of National Unity (GNU) formed after the 2024 elections presents new possibilities for South Africa. However, critics question whether the coalition arrangement can deliver the transformative governance that South Africans demand.
“The road to renewal starts with accountability and genuine service to the people,” Ramaphosa concluded.
