1786 THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS AND THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE IN 2017 AND BEYOND

Dr Zwelethu Jolobe, senior lecturer, Political Studies Department, University of Cape Town

This year the ANC has faced its biggest ever crisis. The party that brought about South Africa’s liberation has been left reeling after losses in the 2016 local government elections, the fallout from Jacob Zuma’s ‘night of the long knives’, and clear indications of internal strife and widespread allegations of state capture that have brought outspoken criticism not just from opposition members, but from former comrades and allies. Against the backdrop of internal division and growing popular dissatisfaction, what scenarios can be anticipated for the future of ANC leadership and governance as well as for the DA? This two-lecture includes course weighs up the merits of different scenarios for the African National Congress, based on whether its members, executive and national congress decide to follow a traditionalist or reformist path, or to opt for compromises.

LECTURE TITLES

1.         The African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance in 2017

2.         Beyond 2017: the scenarios