All Article Properties:
{
"access_control": false,
"status": "publish",
"objectType": "Article",
"id": "2156702",
"signature": "Article:2156702",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-04-25-thabo-mbeki-on-soweto-charm-offensive-as-anc-unleashes-senior-leaders/",
"shorturl": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2156702",
"slug": "thabo-mbeki-on-soweto-charm-offensive-as-anc-unleashes-senior-leaders",
"contentType": {
"id": "1",
"name": "Article",
"slug": "article"
},
"views": 0,
"comments": 50,
"preview_limit": null,
"excludedFromGoogleSearchEngine": 0,
"title": "Thabo Mbeki on Soweto charm offensive as ANC ‘unleashes’ senior leaders",
"firstPublished": "2024-04-25 22:27:50",
"lastUpdate": "2024-04-25 22:27:50",
"categories": [
{
"id": "29",
"name": "South Africa",
"signature": "Category:29",
"slug": "south-africa",
"typeId": {
"typeId": "1",
"name": "Daily Maverick",
"slug": "",
"includeInIssue": "0",
"shortened_domain": "",
"stylesheetClass": "",
"domain": "staging.dailymaverick.co.za",
"articleUrlPrefix": "",
"access_groups": "[]",
"locale": "",
"preview_limit": null
},
"parentId": null,
"parent": [],
"image": "",
"cover": "",
"logo": "",
"paid": "0",
"objectType": "Category",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/category/south-africa/",
"cssCode": "",
"template": "default",
"tagline": "",
"link_param": null,
"description": "Daily Maverick is an independent online news publication and weekly print newspaper in South Africa.\r\n\r\nIt is known for breaking some of the defining stories of South Africa in the past decade, including the Marikana Massacre, in which the South African Police Service killed 34 miners in August 2012.\r\n\r\nIt also investigated the Gupta Leaks, which won the 2019 Global Shining Light Award.\r\n\r\nThat investigation was credited with exposing the Indian-born Gupta family and former President Jacob Zuma for their role in the systemic political corruption referred to as state capture.\r\n\r\nIn 2018, co-founder and editor-in-chief Branislav ‘Branko’ Brkic was awarded the country’s prestigious Nat Nakasa Award, recognised for initiating the investigative collaboration after receiving the hard drive that included the email tranche.\r\n\r\nIn 2021, co-founder and CEO Styli Charalambous also received the award.\r\n\r\nDaily Maverick covers the latest political and news developments in South Africa with breaking news updates, analysis, opinions and more.",
"metaDescription": "",
"order": "0",
"pageId": null,
"articlesCount": null,
"allowComments": "1",
"accessType": "freecount",
"status": "1",
"children": [],
"cached": true
},
{
"id": "387188",
"name": "Maverick News",
"signature": "Category:387188",
"slug": "maverick-news",
"typeId": {
"typeId": "1",
"name": "Daily Maverick",
"slug": "",
"includeInIssue": "0",
"shortened_domain": "",
"stylesheetClass": "",
"domain": "staging.dailymaverick.co.za",
"articleUrlPrefix": "",
"access_groups": "[]",
"locale": "",
"preview_limit": null
},
"parentId": null,
"parent": [],
"image": "",
"cover": "",
"logo": "",
"paid": "0",
"objectType": "Category",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/category/maverick-news/",
"cssCode": "",
"template": "default",
"tagline": "",
"link_param": null,
"description": "",
"metaDescription": "",
"order": "0",
"pageId": null,
"articlesCount": null,
"allowComments": "1",
"accessType": "freecount",
"status": "1",
"children": [],
"cached": true
}
],
"content_length": 7286,
"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Former president Thabo Mbeki, flanked by the ANC’s Johannesburg leadership and provincial bigwigs, was on Thursday welcomed by hundreds of Soweto residents, young and old, at Jabulani Mall.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2156544\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0944.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki soweto\" width=\"720\" height=\"448\" /> <em>Former president Thabo Mbeki (centre) with ANC leaders during an ANC campaign at Jabulani Mall in Soweto on 25 April 2024.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many residents chanted his name. Others just wanted a handshake from the former president, who was surrounded by his security detail at all times. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mbeki acknowledged the ANC’s faults and spoke of members who had tarnished its reputation. However, he urged the crowd to vote for the party in the general election on 29 May.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more in Daily Maverick: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/elections-2024/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elections 2024</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“There are those who are corrupt who are part of the party. We need to get rid of them. I will urge you Sowatans, when you go to the polls, do what you are supposed to. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2156537\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0670.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki jabulani mall\" width=\"720\" height=\"408\" /> <em>Former president Thabo Mbeki shakes hands with ANC supporters at Jabulani Mall in Soweto. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2156541\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0771.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki jabulani mall\" width=\"720\" height=\"365\" /> <em>ANC supporters sing during former president Thabo Mbeki’s ANC campaign at Jabulani Mall in Soweto. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I am grateful for the reception I have received. I was happy to see the faces of the people. They are confident that the problems you are facing are going to be solved. So, when I tell you to vote ANC, it is because we have solutions,” Mbeki said.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more in Daily Maverick: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-02-04-can-thabo-mbeki-make-the-anc-great-again-its-complicated/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can Thabo Mbeki make the ANC great again? It’s complicated</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mbeki has in recent years openly criticised the ANC and its president, Cyril Ramaphosa.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last year he wrote a </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-03-30-thabo-mbeki-lashes-anc-for-blocking-phala-phala-inquiry-and-andre-de-ruyters-damning-claims-about-eskom/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">17-page letter</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile in which he took issue with the party’s decision to block parliamentary inquiries into former Eskom boss André de Ruyter’s claims that cartels and corruption were hobbling the utility.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He also compared the Phala Phala scandal involving Ramaphosa with the Nkandla saga which took down former president Jacob Zuma.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2156547\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0999.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki address soweto\" width=\"720\" height=\"379\" /> <em>Thabo Mbeki addresses ANC supporters at Jabulani Mall in Soweto on 25 April 2024. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In his 2023 letter, Mbeki quoted from Ramaphosa’s August 2020 </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-08-23-the-anc-goes-into-battle-against-graft-and-a-battle-within-itself/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">anti-corruption letter</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: “The ANC may not stand alone in the dock, but it does stand as accused number one.” </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Referring to Phala Phala, Mbeki said: “None of the questions has been answered”.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mbeki has also criticised the quality of members the ANC was attracting and suggested that the party’s membership be reviewed.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more in Daily Maverick: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-04-13-meeting-with-anc-top-brass-and-mbeki-over-phala-phala-rebuke-was-comradely-and-collegial/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meeting with ANC top brass and Mbeki over Phala Phala rebuke was ‘comradely and collegial’</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ANC’s head of elections, Mdumiseni Ntuli, emphasised the importance of Mbeki campaigning for the party.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It is a very important intervention because he is not only a senior in the party, he is a highly respected leader of the people across all sectors of society. So, to have him going out and engaging with the population is going to help the ANC,” Ntuli said.</span>\r\n<h4><b>‘Unleashing’ senior leaders</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He said the organisation was accelerating its campaign, with the likes of former National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete, former president Kgalema Motlanthe and former deputy president David Mabuza campaigning for the party.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The core that leads our campaign are the volunteers of the ANC in every corner of the country, but in order to maximise the great deal of work they are doing and unleash the most senior leaders, we are working on their own itinerary. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It is a tough election, but the remaining 30 days or so are sufficient for the ANC to garner support in order to win on the 29th May,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ANC is determined not to slip beneath the 57.5% it obtained in 2019, and with just over a month until the elections, a key aspect of the party’s campaign is deploying senior leaders to mobilise its base. </span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more in Daily Maverick: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-04-16-anc-accelerates-battle-plan-in-bid-to-secure-majority-despite-looming-mk-party-threat/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ANC confident it will secure 57% of electoral votes despite looming MK party threat</span></a>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2156600\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_8751.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki constance pogiso\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" /> <em>Constance Pogiso attended former president Thabo Mbeki’s visit to Jabulani Mall. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Constance Pogiso, a resident of the Snake Park informal settlement in Soweto was there to meet Mbeki. </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The service delivery is not that good. We hope that the ANC will give us better service delivery this time around. I am inspired by Thabo Mbeki, he is my role model,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2156601\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_8740.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki anc motumi\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" /> <em>Pulane Motumi said she would vote for the ANC. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pulane Motumi lamented the ANC’s failures.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“In my ward, we have issues with electricity. Our power is switched off without consultation. The ANC is an organisation we have been there for; it’s just that the people in power are the ones who are destroying the party with their corruption and money laundering. But what can we do? It is our party.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thabang Rathota fully supports the governing party: “The former president being here, it shows the veterans still believe in the ANC. I think it’s 50/50 because in some areas the ANC is succeeding; the R350 grant helps us. There are challenges like the rising price of food.”</span>\r\n<h4><b>Nhlanhla ‘Lux’ Dlamini backs the ANC</b></h4>\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-2156599 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_8753.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5616\" height=\"3744\" /> <em>Former Operation Dudula leader Nhlanhla Lux Dlamini was at Jabulani Mall. He said he had thrown his weight behind the ANC. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Former Operation Dudula leader and the president of the Soweto Parliament, </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-04-16-nhlanhla-lux-exposed-the-disturbing-picture-behind-the-masks-of-the-man-heading-operation-dudula/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nhlanhla “Lux” Dlamini</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, moved through the mall with the ANC leadership on Thursday.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He has thrown his weight behind the ANC, claiming that it is the preferred party for Soweto residents.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It is a vote of confidence for the ANC. I am a leader that is given the mandate by the people and majority of the people in Soweto. Whether Twitter loves it or not, the people of Soweto love the ANC. I cannot go west and then the people go east; I must lead them to where they want to be. Where I am standing, it looks like victory for the ANC.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I am very happy, given the state of Soweto compared to … other communities. Soweto functions better than many other places in SA. I am not saying that we should go home and rest — we should continue to hold people accountable. That is what we as the Soweto Parliament do,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Statistics published by the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) show that the largest number of registered voters in Gauteng hail from the City of Johannesburg, which includes Soweto.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They make up 35.91% of registered voters in the province, which makes areas like Soweto, which has traditionally been a stronghold for the ANC, crucial in the election.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Independent elections analyst Wayne Sussman said, “Soweto is the largest township in South Africa. It’s also got major historical importance and it is where President Ramaphosa votes — and many leaders in society will be voting there also. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Let’s not forget, in 2021 you saw the ANC lose significant ground in parts of Soweto — in some places to the EFF, in some places to ActionSA.” </span><b>DM</b>\r\n\r\n<iframe title=\"Shein/Temu Q\" width=\"100%\" height=\"177\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" data-tally-src=\"https://tally.so/embed/w7dNpa?hideTitle=1&dynamicHeight=1\"></iframe><script>var d=document,w=\"https://tally.so/widgets/embed.js\",v=function(){\"undefined\"!=typeof Tally?Tally.loadEmbeds():d.querySelectorAll(\"iframe[data-tally-src]:not([src])\").forEach((function(e){e.src=e.dataset.tallySrc}))};if(\"undefined\"!=typeof Tally)v();else if(d.querySelector('script[src=\"'+w+'\"]')==null){var s=d.createElement(\"script\");s.src=w,s.onload=v,s.onerror=v,d.body.appendChild(s);}</script>",
"teaser": "Thabo Mbeki on Soweto charm offensive as ANC ‘unleashes’ senior leaders",
"externalUrl": "",
"sponsor": null,
"authors": [
{
"id": "250065",
"name": "Queenin Masuabi",
"image": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Queenin_Masuabi.png",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/author/queenin-masuabi/",
"editorialName": "queenin-masuabi",
"department": "",
"name_latin": ""
}
],
"description": "",
"keywords": [
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "4042",
"name": "Thabo Mbeki",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/thabo-mbeki/",
"slug": "thabo-mbeki",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Thabo Mbeki",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "54961",
"name": "Mdumiseni Ntuli",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/mdumiseni-ntuli/",
"slug": "mdumiseni-ntuli",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Mdumiseni Ntuli",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "131970",
"name": "campaign trail",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/campaign-trail/",
"slug": "campaign-trail",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "campaign trail",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "348306",
"name": "2024 elections",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/2024-elections/",
"slug": "2024-elections",
"description": "<p data-sourcepos=\"1:1-1:299\">The 2024 general elections in South Africa are<span class=\"citation-0 citation-end-0\"> the seventh elections held under the conditions of universal adult suffrage since the end of the apartheid era in 1994. The</span> elections will be held to elect a new National Assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each province.</p>\r\n<p data-sourcepos=\"3:1-3:251\">The current ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), has been in power since the first democratic elections in 1994. The ANC's popularity has declined in recent years due to corruption, economic mismanagement, and high unemployment.</p>\r\n<p data-sourcepos=\"5:1-5:207\">The main opposition party is the Democratic Alliance (DA). The DA is particularly popular among white and middle-class voters.</p>\r\n<p data-sourcepos=\"7:1-7:387\">Other opposition parties include the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). The EFF is a left-wing populist party that is popular among young black voters. The FF+ is a right-wing party that represents the interests of white Afrikaans-speaking voters. The IFP is a regional party that is popular in the KwaZulu-Natal province.</p>\r\n<p data-sourcepos=\"15:1-15:84\">Here are some of the key issues that will be at stake in the 2024 elections:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul data-sourcepos=\"17:1-22:0\">\r\n \t<li data-sourcepos=\"17:1-17:205\">The economy: South Africa is facing a number of economic challenges, including high unemployment, poverty, and inequality. The next government will need to focus on creating jobs and growing the economy.</li>\r\n \t<li data-sourcepos=\"18:1-18:171\">Corruption: Corruption is a major problem in South Africa. The next government will need to take steps to address corruption and restore public confidence in government.</li>\r\n \t<li data-sourcepos=\"19:1-19:144\">Crime: Crime is another major problem in South Africa. The next government will need to take steps to reduce crime and make communities safer.</li>\r\n \t<li data-sourcepos=\"20:1-20:188\">Education: The quality of education in South Africa is uneven. The next government will need to invest in education and ensure that all South Africans have access to a quality education.</li>\r\n \t<li data-sourcepos=\"21:1-22:0\">Healthcare: The quality of healthcare in South Africa is also uneven. The next government will need to invest in healthcare and ensure that all South Africans have access to quality healthcare.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe 2024 elections are an opportunity for South Africans to choose a new government that will address the challenges facing the country. The outcome of the elections will have a significant impact on the future of South Africa",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "2024 elections",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "371013",
"name": "Nhlanhla ‘Lux’ Dlamini",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/nhlanhla-lux-dlamini/",
"slug": "nhlanhla-lux-dlamini",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Nhlanhla ‘Lux’ Dlamini",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "376194",
"name": "Queenin Masuabi",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/queenin-masuabi/",
"slug": "queenin-masuabi",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Queenin Masuabi",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "376442",
"name": "Phala Phala",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/phala-phala/",
"slug": "phala-phala",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Phala Phala",
"translations": null
}
}
],
"short_summary": null,
"source": null,
"related": [],
"options": [],
"attachments": [
{
"id": "73627",
"name": "Nhlanhla Lux attended former president Thabo Mbeki’s walkabout at Jabulani Mall in Soweto on 25 April 2024.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)",
"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Former president Thabo Mbeki, flanked by the ANC’s Johannesburg leadership and provincial bigwigs, was on Thursday welcomed by hundreds of Soweto residents, young and old, at Jabulani Mall.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2156544\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2156544\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0944.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki soweto\" width=\"720\" height=\"448\" /> <em>Former president Thabo Mbeki (centre) with ANC leaders during an ANC campaign at Jabulani Mall in Soweto on 25 April 2024.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many residents chanted his name. Others just wanted a handshake from the former president, who was surrounded by his security detail at all times. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mbeki acknowledged the ANC’s faults and spoke of members who had tarnished its reputation. However, he urged the crowd to vote for the party in the general election on 29 May.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more in Daily Maverick: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/elections-2024/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elections 2024</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“There are those who are corrupt who are part of the party. We need to get rid of them. I will urge you Sowatans, when you go to the polls, do what you are supposed to. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2156537\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2156537\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0670.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki jabulani mall\" width=\"720\" height=\"408\" /> <em>Former president Thabo Mbeki shakes hands with ANC supporters at Jabulani Mall in Soweto. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2156541\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2156541\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0771.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki jabulani mall\" width=\"720\" height=\"365\" /> <em>ANC supporters sing during former president Thabo Mbeki’s ANC campaign at Jabulani Mall in Soweto. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I am grateful for the reception I have received. I was happy to see the faces of the people. They are confident that the problems you are facing are going to be solved. So, when I tell you to vote ANC, it is because we have solutions,” Mbeki said.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more in Daily Maverick: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-02-04-can-thabo-mbeki-make-the-anc-great-again-its-complicated/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can Thabo Mbeki make the ANC great again? It’s complicated</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mbeki has in recent years openly criticised the ANC and its president, Cyril Ramaphosa.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last year he wrote a </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-03-30-thabo-mbeki-lashes-anc-for-blocking-phala-phala-inquiry-and-andre-de-ruyters-damning-claims-about-eskom/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">17-page letter</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile in which he took issue with the party’s decision to block parliamentary inquiries into former Eskom boss André de Ruyter’s claims that cartels and corruption were hobbling the utility.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He also compared the Phala Phala scandal involving Ramaphosa with the Nkandla saga which took down former president Jacob Zuma.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2156547\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2156547\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0999.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki address soweto\" width=\"720\" height=\"379\" /> <em>Thabo Mbeki addresses ANC supporters at Jabulani Mall in Soweto on 25 April 2024. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In his 2023 letter, Mbeki quoted from Ramaphosa’s August 2020 </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-08-23-the-anc-goes-into-battle-against-graft-and-a-battle-within-itself/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">anti-corruption letter</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: “The ANC may not stand alone in the dock, but it does stand as accused number one.” </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Referring to Phala Phala, Mbeki said: “None of the questions has been answered”.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mbeki has also criticised the quality of members the ANC was attracting and suggested that the party’s membership be reviewed.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more in Daily Maverick: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-04-13-meeting-with-anc-top-brass-and-mbeki-over-phala-phala-rebuke-was-comradely-and-collegial/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meeting with ANC top brass and Mbeki over Phala Phala rebuke was ‘comradely and collegial’</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ANC’s head of elections, Mdumiseni Ntuli, emphasised the importance of Mbeki campaigning for the party.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It is a very important intervention because he is not only a senior in the party, he is a highly respected leader of the people across all sectors of society. So, to have him going out and engaging with the population is going to help the ANC,” Ntuli said.</span>\r\n<h4><b>‘Unleashing’ senior leaders</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He said the organisation was accelerating its campaign, with the likes of former National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete, former president Kgalema Motlanthe and former deputy president David Mabuza campaigning for the party.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The core that leads our campaign are the volunteers of the ANC in every corner of the country, but in order to maximise the great deal of work they are doing and unleash the most senior leaders, we are working on their own itinerary. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It is a tough election, but the remaining 30 days or so are sufficient for the ANC to garner support in order to win on the 29th May,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ANC is determined not to slip beneath the 57.5% it obtained in 2019, and with just over a month until the elections, a key aspect of the party’s campaign is deploying senior leaders to mobilise its base. </span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more in Daily Maverick: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-04-16-anc-accelerates-battle-plan-in-bid-to-secure-majority-despite-looming-mk-party-threat/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ANC confident it will secure 57% of electoral votes despite looming MK party threat</span></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2156600\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2156600\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_8751.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki constance pogiso\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" /> <em>Constance Pogiso attended former president Thabo Mbeki’s visit to Jabulani Mall. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Constance Pogiso, a resident of the Snake Park informal settlement in Soweto was there to meet Mbeki. </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The service delivery is not that good. We hope that the ANC will give us better service delivery this time around. I am inspired by Thabo Mbeki, he is my role model,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2156601\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2156601\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_8740.jpg\" alt=\"mbeki anc motumi\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" /> <em>Pulane Motumi said she would vote for the ANC. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pulane Motumi lamented the ANC’s failures.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“In my ward, we have issues with electricity. Our power is switched off without consultation. The ANC is an organisation we have been there for; it’s just that the people in power are the ones who are destroying the party with their corruption and money laundering. But what can we do? It is our party.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thabang Rathota fully supports the governing party: “The former president being here, it shows the veterans still believe in the ANC. I think it’s 50/50 because in some areas the ANC is succeeding; the R350 grant helps us. There are challenges like the rising price of food.”</span>\r\n<h4><b>Nhlanhla ‘Lux’ Dlamini backs the ANC</b></h4>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2156599\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"5616\"]<img class=\"wp-image-2156599 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_8753.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5616\" height=\"3744\" /> <em>Former Operation Dudula leader Nhlanhla Lux Dlamini was at Jabulani Mall. He said he had thrown his weight behind the ANC. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Former Operation Dudula leader and the president of the Soweto Parliament, </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-04-16-nhlanhla-lux-exposed-the-disturbing-picture-behind-the-masks-of-the-man-heading-operation-dudula/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nhlanhla “Lux” Dlamini</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, moved through the mall with the ANC leadership on Thursday.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He has thrown his weight behind the ANC, claiming that it is the preferred party for Soweto residents.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It is a vote of confidence for the ANC. I am a leader that is given the mandate by the people and majority of the people in Soweto. Whether Twitter loves it or not, the people of Soweto love the ANC. I cannot go west and then the people go east; I must lead them to where they want to be. Where I am standing, it looks like victory for the ANC.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I am very happy, given the state of Soweto compared to … other communities. Soweto functions better than many other places in SA. I am not saying that we should go home and rest — we should continue to hold people accountable. That is what we as the Soweto Parliament do,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Statistics published by the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) show that the largest number of registered voters in Gauteng hail from the City of Johannesburg, which includes Soweto.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They make up 35.91% of registered voters in the province, which makes areas like Soweto, which has traditionally been a stronghold for the ANC, crucial in the election.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Independent elections analyst Wayne Sussman said, “Soweto is the largest township in South Africa. It’s also got major historical importance and it is where President Ramaphosa votes — and many leaders in society will be voting there also. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Let’s not forget, in 2021 you saw the ANC lose significant ground in parts of Soweto — in some places to the EFF, in some places to ActionSA.” </span><b>DM</b>\r\n\r\n<iframe title=\"Shein/Temu Q\" width=\"100%\" height=\"177\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" data-tally-src=\"https://tally.so/embed/w7dNpa?hideTitle=1&dynamicHeight=1\"></iframe><script>var d=document,w=\"https://tally.so/widgets/embed.js\",v=function(){\"undefined\"!=typeof Tally?Tally.loadEmbeds():d.querySelectorAll(\"iframe[data-tally-src]:not([src])\").forEach((function(e){e.src=e.dataset.tallySrc}))};if(\"undefined\"!=typeof Tally)v();else if(d.querySelector('script[src=\"'+w+'\"]')==null){var s=d.createElement(\"script\");s.src=w,s.onload=v,s.onerror=v,d.body.appendChild(s);}</script>",
"focal": "50% 50%",
"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0884.jpg",
"transforms": [
{
"x": "200",
"y": "100",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/gWzJiGSgiK4dpLceEa0e4LrdtEc=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0884.jpg"
},
{
"x": "450",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/UR55KbmW4_-pAoA6hTkCN3Fz7OA=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0884.jpg"
},
{
"x": "800",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/DNhDP5ti_7kDqnKmpAN8peieumg=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0884.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1200",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/Beh4ojUzbmWV0hthCg3CKNQ39Kk=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0884.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1600",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/nkYWwO2OfSkOm1WXShZpv6JIWzs=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0884.jpg"
}
],
"url_thumbnail": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/gWzJiGSgiK4dpLceEa0e4LrdtEc=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0884.jpg",
"url_medium": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/UR55KbmW4_-pAoA6hTkCN3Fz7OA=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0884.jpg",
"url_large": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/DNhDP5ti_7kDqnKmpAN8peieumg=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0884.jpg",
"url_xl": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/Beh4ojUzbmWV0hthCg3CKNQ39Kk=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0884.jpg",
"url_xxl": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/nkYWwO2OfSkOm1WXShZpv6JIWzs=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20V0884.jpg",
"type": "image"
}
],
"summary": "Despite having expressed discontent several times about the state of the ANC, former party president Thabo Mbeki championed the governing party on the campaign trail in Soweto on Thursday.",
"template_type": null,
"dm_custom_section_label": null,
"elements": [],
"seo": {
"search_title": "Thabo Mbeki on Soweto charm offensive as ANC ‘unleashes’ senior leaders",
"search_description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Former president Thabo Mbeki, flanked by the ANC’s Johannesburg leadership and provincial bigwigs, was on Thursday welcomed by hundreds of Soweto residents, young and o",
"social_title": "Thabo Mbeki on Soweto charm offensive as ANC ‘unleashes’ senior leaders",
"social_description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Former president Thabo Mbeki, flanked by the ANC’s Johannesburg leadership and provincial bigwigs, was on Thursday welcomed by hundreds of Soweto residents, young and o",
"social_image": ""
},
"cached": true,
"access_allowed": true
}