MANDY WIENER: ANC’s post-poll self-reflection proves hollow in Simelane inaction

In its post-election analysis, the ANC has had to do serious introspection and question why it got such a klap at the polls. Dropping from 54% of the national vote to just above 40%, it has had to confront its failings. 

According to some ANC officials, three key reasons have emerged that cost the ANC at the polls. The first is the economy, obviously. Massive unemployment, stagnant growth and the high cost of living. The second is poor service delivery and failing infrastructure. The third would be governance and corruption and the damaged image of the party coming out of state capture and the Zondo Commission. The prevailing perception has been that the ANC has allowed a pervasive culture of corruption and non-accountability to take hold. 

With the ANC reflecting on its 2024 moment, one wonders then why the ANC President and President of the country Cyril Ramaphosa, would not grab the opportunity to demonstrate strong governance and a zero-tolerance approach by firing Justice Minister Thembi Simelane. 

This past weekend ANC provincial secretary in Kwa-Zulu Natal Bheki Mtolo reportedly presented a report saying that Ramaphosa’s 'weakness contributed to the party’s dismal showing in the province in the May elections'. 

“Three insiders who are privy to the matter said Ramaphosa was irritated by the report Mtolo tabled at a recent provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting, which he attended with several national working committee (NWC) members, including Zizi Kodwa and Sibongile Besani,” reported the Sunday Times. 

Facing pushback from within some quarters of the ANC over the GNU outcome, Ramaphosa would also have had to delicately balance political interests in determining what to do with Simelane. 

After three months of deliberations, he finally decided to shuffle her sideways to the Ministry of Human Settlements. This has been criticised as ‘lily-livered’, ‘weak’ and ‘indecisive’. 

Simelane has consistently denied there was any wrongdoing in terms of her VBS-associated loan. 

Daily Maverick and News24 reported that Simelane had taken out a ‘loan’ of R575,600 in 2016 from Gundo Wealth Solutions, the broker who acted on behalf of the collapsed VBS Mutual Bank. 

The minister has insisted that the loan was above board and that it was repaid in full four years later, with interest. 

Notably, Simelane has not been criminally charged and therefore has not been obliged to step aside as per ANC integrity rules. This could also have been the fig-leave onto which Ramaphosa has clutched to not fire her. 

However, this week the Daily Maverick and News24 added to their reporting by highlighting Simelane’s excessive lifestyle in relation to her income. They reported that her expenditure outweighed her income by at least five times during the period when she was Polokwane's mayor. It appears this fresh reporting prompted the President to act. 

Simelane’s position as Justice Minister was untenable as she had political oversight over the National Prosecuting Authority, the entity which could potentially charge her. 

This conflict of interests necessitated the sideways shuffle, but opposition parties and civil society are arguing that Ramaphosa should not have thrown her a lifeline and should have axed her from Cabinet. 

Even from within the ANC, there is unhappiness. ANC Veterans League president Snuki Zikalala told Clement Manyathela on 702 that the league is disappointed with the President’s decision to redeploy her. “We think the president has erred. We have asked for a meeting with him,” said Zikalala. 

Crucially, he also pointed out that this action would cost the ANC at the polls. 

This is precisely what has proved most flummoxing. If the ANC, and President Ramaphosa, are aware of the damage caused at the ballot box by its flaccid approach to corruption-tainted leaders and lack of accountability management, wouldn’t it want to seize opportunities to fix that image?

There could be no more symbolic act than ensuring that the Justice Minister, politically responsible for the rule of law in the country and ensuring a legislative framework and environment which would ensure the corrupt be prosecuted, be beyond reproach. 

Instead, Ramaphosa has entrenched the perception that within the ANC, the compromised are protected and that the party is prioritised ahead of the country. However, this move could prove to be short-sighted as ultimately it could again cost the party at the polls. 

The ANC’s commitment to ‘renewal’ will amount to an empty tagline unless the party, and particularly the President, demonstrate that it is a genuine commitment. Firing Simelane is a missed opportunity to illustrate this to the electorate.