South Africa's President Cyril Ramphosa has promised to renew the governing African National Congress (ANC) ahead of the 2024 elections. The party leader and head of state delivered his speech at a rally in the city of Mangaung, where the party was founded in 1912.
"We do not pursue the path of renewal for its own sake, but we do so that we can drive our energies to solving the pressing problems facing the people of South Africa," he said, noting that "the renewable process is irreversible, it is irrevocable."
Ramaphosa declared that the party will reinforce a special rule in order to expel officials with criminal charges from the ANC and require them to leave governmental posts.
The support for the ANC, which has been ruling South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, fell below 50% in the 2021 municipal elections. The country is facing corruption, crime and an energy crisis, which bloomed during the reign of former President Jacob Zuma, who was later prosecuted on corruption charges.
"The ANC has dropped the ball, we accept that," said Fikile Mbalula, the party’s secretary general, adding: "We know we have got to transform the economy. We will not win back the confidence of voters if we don’t deal with socio-economic conditions and matters of security."
In December, Ramaphosa was re-elected as the ANC's leader for the next five years, meaning that he will be the party's presidential candidate in the upcoming general election.