African National Congress (ANC) president Cyril Ramaphosa said the party is drawing inspiration from the visit to Robben Island to rebuild the party after last year’s historic election loss.
Image: X/ANC
The African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa has said the party is drawing inspiration from its recent visit to Robben Island, as it seeks to rebuild following its failure to secure a majority in the 2024 elections, leading to the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU).
This was the first time after many years, the ANC failed to garner more votes, resulting in a coalition government at the national level.
Ramaphosa made the remarks at the party’s 113th anniversary, held at Athlone Civic Centre, Cape Town in the Western Cape, ahead of the January 8 Statement event in Khayelitsha on Saturday.
The visit to Robben Island on Wednesday, January 8 where ANC leaders reflected on the painful experiences endured by the party’s members during the apartheid regime, was aimed at paying homage to political prisoners who were incarcerated there, for many years.
Among those who were detained at the island prison were the late former president Nelson Mandela, who spent over 15 years within a towering prison wall with steel bars on the windows of the cell.
Others included former presidents Jacob Zuma and Kgalema Motlanthe.
After cutting the cake as part of the party’s anniversary celebrations, Ramaphosa acknowledged that the party has a lot of work to do.
His remarks highlighted the ANC’s historic loss during the general election last year, and the formation of the GNU, which includes the opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA).
The formation of the GNU with the DA and other parties has sparked backlash from Solly Mapaila, general secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), a key partner in the tripartite alliance alongside the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).
Malatji has blasted the GNU several times since its formation, arguing that it does not reflect the historical experiences of the black people.
The SACP has since decided to contest the upcoming 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE) independently but not breaking away from the alliance.
Ramaphosa emphasised that the party’s efforts to rebuild the ANC would be inspired by the lessons learned during the visit to Robben Island.
“We learn from the experience of those who were imprisoned in Robben Island, that rebuilding a movement requires effective organisation and thorough political engagement,” he said.
He stressed that rebuilding the party - especially its lost majority and ground - requires vibrant democratic practice, accountability, and discipline.
“The leaders and cadres who spent their time imprisoned on this island understood the vital need for unity for trust and personal integrity.”
He acknowledged that the political prisoners who were detained on Robben Island understood the importance of collaboration for survival, a lesson which he said the ANC will now apply to its rebuilding efforts.
“They knew that they had to work together and in order for them to survive this horrible place they had to work together and indeed this place became a place where unity was forged,” he added.
Ramaphosa stressed that in rebuilding the party, the ANC is reflecting on the hardships and struggles that were encountered by those imprisoned on Robben Island during the apartheid era.
”As we work to rebuild the ANC, we are also drawing lessons from Robben Island.”
“We are drawing on a wealth of experience that stretches 115 years of struggle as we acknowledge our shortcomings and our challenges as a movement, we recognise the strength and capabilities that reside in our movement,” Ramaphosa added.
Meanwhile, ahead of the January 8 Statement event, ANC heavyweights have flooded the province conducting door-to-door campaigns, engaging with the locals in a bid to reconnect with voters and regain lost ground.
However, the DA, which has governed the province for years, maintains a stronghold.
IOL Politics