Since the second National General Council (NGC) held in 2005 at the University of Pretoria, the ANC has used this midterm review gathering as more than a meeting to assess the party’s policy and performance. Although the NGC is not empowered to elect new leaders, it has consistently evolved into a political theatre where factions within the party test their strength and gauge support ahead of the national elective conference. Over the years, the NGC has become a mirror reflecting the ANC’s internal divisions and ambitions.
The 2005 council was pivotal in reshaping South African politics. Then deputy president Jacob Zuma had been dismissed from government by President Thabo Mbeki and the ANC’s national executive committee had accepted his resignation. Many believed Zuma’s political career was over.
Yet his supporters used the NGC as a platform to rally behind him, transforming the gathering into a springboard for his comeback. The meeting birthed what became known as the “Zuma tsunami”, a wave of support that eventually swept Mbeki out of power and cemented Zuma’s rise to the presidency. Five years later, the third NGC at Durban’s Exhibition Centre showcased another dramatic confrontation.
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Zuma, now president, faced pressure from the ANC Youth League under Julius Malema. The NGC at Gallagher Estate in Midrand unfolded against the backdrop of public protector Thuli Madonsela’s findings that Zuma should repay part of the R246m spent on upgrades to his Nkandla homestead. At the same time, Madonsela was investigating allegations that the Gupta family had captured the state.
Zuma’s opponents demanded accountability, while his supporters rallied to shield him. The so-called “premier league”—a group of provincial chairpersons acting as kingmakers—threw their weight behind Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as a potential successor. The ANC Women’s League president, Bathabile Dlamini, openly clashed with secretary-general Gwede Mantashe over her support for Dlamini-Zuma, highlighting the factionalism that defined the gathering.
Fast forward to the present, and the upcoming NGC at Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg promises similar drama. President Cyril Ramaphosa enters the meeting amid speculation of a plot to remove him from office prematurely. Media reports have mentioned deputy ministers Mondli Gungubele and Joe Phaahla, though both have denied involvement. Whether genuine appetite exists within the ANC to oust Ramaphosa will be tested at this gathering.
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