Book description
Despite the African National Congress being at the height of its
powers, its future is today less certain than at any time in its long
history. In the past, the liberation movement went through two huge
transformations with remarkable agility; the first at the instigation of
the hot-headed young rebel, Nelson Mandela. He brought about changes
that drove the organisation from gentlemanly petitions to armed
resistance. The second great shake-up in the ANC occurred twenty-two
years ago as Mandela emerged from prison, when the movement transformed
itself from deep socialist militancy to centre-left political
conformity. But it was at the time dominated by realistic, courageous
leaders like Mandela, Sisulu and Tambo, who are no longer steering the
vast juggernaut through the third revolution that is under way now. The
ANC's struggle for freedom was supposed to have ended with its election
to office in 1994, when it defeated apartheid. But rampant unemployment,
income distribution as skewed as anywhere on earth, catastrophic
corruption, inferior education and lingering racial tensions cast
shadows that lengthen with each passing year. Whether the ANC, with its
current leadership, still has the flexibility to transform itself and
survive the anarchistic onslaught of politicians like Julius Malema
remains to be seen.
