ANC renewal or recycling?

2026-03-18 - 06:11

When the ANC speaks of “renewal”, people expect accountability, fresh leadership and a break from the culture of impunity that has eroded public trust. Yet the appointment of Nobuhle Nkabane last week as deputy chief whip in parliament – barely months after she was fired as minister of higher education and training under a cloud of controversy – suggests renewal is less about reform and more about recycling. Nkabane’s tenure at higher education was marred by allegations of nepotism and cadre deployment in the appointment of sector education and training authorities’ boards. Her dismissal by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July last year was framed as part of a Cabinet clean-up, a signal that incompetence and patronage would no longer be tolerated. But her swift return to a senior parliamentary post undermines that message. It tells South Africans that being fired for blunders is not a career-ending event in the ANC – it is merely a reshuffling of chairs. This contradiction cuts to the heart of the ANC’s credibility crisis. Renewal, in theory, is about restoring integrity and competence. In practice, it appears to be about maintaining loyalty networks and rewarding insiders. The party’s insistence that Nkabane brings “experience and qualifications” is technically true – she holds advanced degrees and has parliamentary experience – but qualifications mean little when overshadowed by a track record of controversy. ALSO READ: ANC will be the biggest loser as Joburg factions meet at the high court Renewal cannot be reduced to academic credentials; it must be measured by ethical conduct and public trust. The timing of this appointment is politically significant. With the local government elections looming, the ANC is desperate to convince younger voters – especially students and unemployed graduates – that it is serious about reform. Yet Nkabane’s re-emergence is a slap in the face to those constituents. Students who bore the brunt of dysfunction in the department of higher education will see this as proof that the ANC protects its own, even at the expense of accountability. For a generation already sceptical of politics, this reinforces cynicism and disengagement. Opposition parties will seize on this as evidence that the ANC’s renewal agenda is a futile exercise. They will argue, with justification, the ruling party is incapable of self-correction. Every recycled leader becomes a symbol of continuity, rather than change; of patronage, rather than principle. The ANC’s defenders may counter that parliamentary leadership requires seasoned hands and that Nkabane’s experience outweighs past controversies. But this argument misses the point. Renewal is not about recycling the same cadre into a different role; it is about demonstrating that accountability has consequences. ALSO READ: Ruling days are over for panicked ANC By reinstating someone dismissed under a cloud, the ANC signals that consequences are temporary, reversible and negotiable. That is not renewal – it is regression. The broader implication is that the ANC’s renewal narrative is being destroyed from within. Renewal requires a break with the past, but the party seems trapped in a cycle of recycling compromised leaders. This weakens its ability to inspire confidence among voters. It also deepens factionalism, as appointments are seen less as merit-based and more as factional rewards. For younger voters, especially those mobilised around issues of education, employment and accountability, this appointment is discouraging. It confirms suspicions the ANC’s promises of renewal are just lip service, not substantive commitments. In an era where political legitimacy is fragile, the ANC cannot afford such contradictions. Yet by elevating Nkabane, it has chosen loyalty over credibility, continuity over change. In the end, the party’s message of renewal will be judged by the calibre of its appointments. Nkabane’s return to prominence adds to voters’ frustrations. If accountability inside the ANC remains negotiable, voters may decide the only true renewal lies outside of it – at the ballot box. NOW READ: Nkabane’s dismissal shows performance is finally being prioritised