ANC Admits Deep Crisis as Corruption, Governance Failures and Inequality Shake South Africa’s Oldest Liberation Movement

ANC Admits Deep Crisis as Corruption, Governance Failures and Inequality Shake South Africa’s Oldest Liberation Movement

LN24 / 28 minutes

December 12, 2025

2 min read

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC), the party that ended apartheid and brought Nelson Mandela to power in 1994, has publicly acknowledged that it is facing a profound internal crisis marked by corruption scandals, governance failures, and persistent racial inequality. In a candid statement released this week, the party said it is committed to “cleaning up its act” after years of public anger, declining credibility, and weakened electoral support. The ANC’s self-reflection comes after it was forced into a coalition government last year its first such arrangement since the dawn of democracy following a dramatic drop in support during the national elections. The party’s loss of a parliamentary majority triggered widespread introspection about its legacy, its failures, and its future role in South Africa’s political landscape. The ANC has faced repeated corruption allegations involving senior party figures, state capture under former President Jacob Zuma, service delivery collapse in multiple municipalities, and rising inequality that continues to disproportionately affect Black South Africans despite three decades of democracy. Analysts say the party’s internal divisions and governance issues are key factors behind its electoral decline. With coalition politics now the new reality, the ANC has vowed to reform, rebuild public trust, and renew its core values of integrity and accountability though many South Africans remain skeptical after years of unfulfilled reform promises.