Mthobisi Nozulela|Published
African National Congress (ANC) veteran Ravi Pillay says the departure of some ANC members to the uMkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) shows the governing party’s renewal, ahead of the local government elections.
The former KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development said the MK Party’s rise reflected the departure of what he described as the ANC’s “worst elements”, arguing that this presented an opportunity for the governing party to renew itself.
Speaking on the sidelines of the IOL Town Hall Debate on Wednesday, Pillay defended the ANC’s approach to renewal, saying the party had resisted populist pressure in favour of what he described as principled decision-making.
“What does MK Party reflect and represent? I would argue that the worst elements of the ANC have gone to the MKP. And to that extent, it reflects a renewal on the ANC side,” Pillay said.
His remarks come as the MK Party is projected to make significant gains in KwaZulu-Natal, with eThekwini expected to be a key battleground in the November elections.
Pillay acknowledges ANC’s shortcomings
Pillay said that the ANC’s renewal agenda was an admission that the party’s governance record had not always been satisfactory.
“When we talk about renewal, it implies that not everything has gone well,” he said, adding that renewal needed to address governance, discipline within the administration and workforce, and the fight against corruption.
He pointed to the work of the Zondo and Madlanga commissions, as well as investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), as examples of efforts to address wrongdoing.
Pillay also defended eThekwini’s recovery from successive crises, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the July 2021 unrest and the devastating KwaZulu-Natal floods, during which he served in the provincial government.
He credited the Presidential Working Group in eThekwini and Mayor Cyril Xaba with helping to steer the city through a difficult rebuilding period.
“I think the city has done well in recovering from a very bad period,” he said.
However, Pillay stopped short of confidently predicting an ANC victory in the local government elections, saying he expected the party to remain a significant player.
"I'll be misleading you to say if I can confidently say you're going to win. Whether you're going to be a serious party in the final configuration, I would say definitely."
IOL
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