ANC’s Mafia Moment: Why South Africans Are Losing Faith in Ramaphosa’s Renewal

By Carl Niehaus

South Africans are waking up to the terrifying realisation that our ruling party no longer governs—it protects.

The ANC, once the pride of a liberation movement, now resembles a mafia outfit, shielding its own while ordinary citizens pay the price. At the centre of this political firestorm is President Cyril Ramaphosa’s latest failure to act decisively against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, whose name is now synonymous with interference and corruption in law enforcement.

A Political Spectacle, Not Accountability

When Ramaphosa announced on July 13 that Mchunu would be placed on “special leave” following shocking allegations by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, many expected swift justice. Instead, what they got was more delay, more deflection, and yet another commission of inquiry with a vague timeline.

This is not unfamiliar territory. South Africans have seen this movie before—scandal erupts, commissions are announced, and little ever comes from the findings. The cycle is well-oiled: gather evidence, stall proceedings, protect insiders.

What Are the Allegations?

The claims are as serious as they come. Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu and other SAPS leaders of meddling in key investigations, including those involving construction mafia groups, political assassinations, and dodgy procurement deals like bulletproof vest contracts. These are not administrative missteps; they’re systemic breaches that cripple policing and let violence flourish.

Instead of suspending Mchunu or launching a criminal probe, Ramaphosa’s government chose a softer option: paid leave and a commission chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga. The time frame? Three to six months, at best.

The Public Has Had Enough

Social media erupted almost immediately. One user on X put it bluntly: “We are all sick of @CyrilRamaphosa enabling corruption. Because that is what this is.”

The response from the EFF was swift and unequivocal. In a national statement released on July 12, we condemned Ramaphosa’s weak handling of the crisis, calling it not just a failure of leadership but an outright betrayal of public trust.

We’ve warned for years that the ANC is no longer a governing party—it’s a criminal enterprise. The Mchunu saga only strengthens this truth.

Ramaphosa’s Hollow Promises

This scandal arrives while Ramaphosa is still dodging fallout from the unresolved Phala Phala saga, where undeclared foreign currency was stashed in his Limpopo farm. No real accountability followed that incident either, just more rhetoric about “renewal.”

It’s now clear that renewal is just a PR exercise. Real reform would mean firing ministers under investigation, dismantling tender corruption networks, and protecting whistleblowers—not the perpetrators.

Instead, whistleblowers like Mkhwanazi risk their lives speaking out, while the accused receive paid leave and protection.

A Country in Freefall

The cost of corruption is visible in every corner of South Africa. Unemployment continues to soar, topping record highs in 2025, while food prices, load-shedding, and inflation drive the working class into despair.

In communities like Soweto or Umlazi, residents live in fear—of crime, of political killings, and of a police force compromised by political loyalty rather than law.

In provinces like KwaZulu-Natal, construction mafias halt infrastructure projects, robbing locals of jobs and development. In schools and hospitals, unqualified appointees squander resources meant for education and health.

Young South Africans, with youth unemployment above 60%, are losing hope. Some turn to substance abuse, others to emigration. The rest are left wondering: is there even a future here?

Political Fallout

The ANC’s electoral grip has already loosened. In 2024, it dropped below 50% nationally. If current scandals continue, some analysts believe it could dip below 25% by the 2026 local elections.

That’s why many now refer to it as the “ANC mafia syndicate”—a party more interested in survival than service.

A user on social media summed it up: “Ramaphosa is the president of the ANC first, not South Africa.”

The EFF’s Call to Action

We in the EFF do not say these things lightly. We say them as representatives of millions who are tired of commissions without justice, promises without progress, and leadership without courage.

We are calling for:

• Independent prosecutions, not internal ANC probes

• Public assemblies and legal action to demand accountability

• Radical economic reforms, including land expropriation without compensation and nationalisation of strategic industries

• A decisive end to cadre deployment, the cancer that breeds this corruption

We are urging every South African to stand up, speak out, and rise against a government that protects the powerful at the expense of the powerless.

It’s Now or Never

The choice in 2026 will not be about political preference. It will be about survival—of our democracy, our economy, and our dignity.

If we don’t dismantle this mafia syndicate masquerading as a ruling party, it will dismantle what’s left of South Africa.

The time to act is now.

The ANC must fall. And we, the people, must rise to make it happen.

Carl Niehaus is a Member of Parliament for the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Joburg etc. 

Source:IOL

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