Naledi Pandor Slams ANC Leadership: “We Have Lost Our Glory”

South Africa’s ruling party has faced many internal critics over the years, but few as direct or as respected as Naledi Pandor. Speaking at the centenary celebration of ANC stalwart Gertrude Shope, the former minister didn’t mince her words: the ANC, she said, has strayed so far from its mission that people now look at it with “disdain, horror, and shame.”

It was not just a lament about the party’s condition, it was a pointed rebuke of leaders, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, who Pandor argued have failed to offer real solutions in a time of crisis.

“Leaders Without Solutions Are Failing the Nation”

In one of the sharpest moments of her lecture, Pandor declared:

“There is nothing worse in an organisation or in a country than a leader who has no solution. We can’t be asking someone else, ‘how do we solve this?’ The people are looking to us.”

Her frustration reflects a growing sentiment among South Africans who see the ANC clinging to the language of “renewal” while service delivery collapses in many communities. For Pandor, vague promises are no longer enough, the ANC must commit to practical renewal grounded in action.

Taking the Fight to Local Branches

Pandor also turned her attention to ANC branches, arguing they should be more than just political clubs, they must serve their communities in tangible ways.

Her examples cut close to everyday frustrations:

• No clinic should go unstaffed if an ANC branch exists nearby.

• No school should be without stationery in an ANC-led ward.

• No community should run dry while “crooks deliver water in trucks.”

• No street should be left in darkness because criminals steal electricity cables unchecked.

It was a call for local accountability, for branches to be active, democratic, and solutions-driven, rather than passive political vehicles.

“We Have Lost Our Glory”

Perhaps the most stinging line of the night was Pandor’s candid admission that the ANC is no longer what it once was.

“We have forgotten that we exist to serve the people, that we exist for the people, and we have lost our glory. Let’s not pretend about it, we have lost it.”

For many in the audience, it was a sobering reminder that the ANC’s image as a liberation movement still battling for dignity and justice is fading, replaced by an organisation marred by scandals, service failures, and internal power struggles.

Intergenerational Unity: “Old Women and Young Women Together”

Reflecting on her own bruising experiences within the ANC Women’s League, Pandor made a rare, personal appeal for unity between generations.

“Older women have a great deal to offer, young women have a great deal to offer and working together would be a strong force,” she said, recalling how she herself had been dismissed as “an old woman” by some within the movement.

Her message underscored that renewal is not just about policies but about relationships and culture within the party.

Public Reactions: A Divided Audience

Pandor’s remarks have lit up political discussion both within the ANC and among ordinary South Africans. Some praised her honesty, saying she voiced what many already believe: that the ANC has drifted from the people it claims to represent. Others, however, accused her of taking easy shots at the leadership after stepping back from frontline politics.

On social media, reactions ranged from respect for her courage to skepticism about whether her critique would translate into change. One user wrote, “Pandor is right, but will the ANC ever listen?” Another quipped, “Strong words, but where was this honesty when she was still in Cabinet?”

Pandor’s blunt assessment highlights a deeper tension: can the ANC still renew itself from within, or has it passed the point of no return? With elections always looming in the background, her comments add to a growing chorus warning that the party risks losing more than just votes, it risks losing its moral authority.

For South Africans weary of corruption, failing services, and endless promises, Pandor’s words carry a painful truth: the people are indeed watching. And they are running out of patience.

{Source: IOL}

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