The African National Congress (ANC) commemorated its 113th anniversary with a powerful January 8th Statement, laying out a roadmap for the party’s priorities in 2025. Against the backdrop of declining electoral support and mounting challenges in governance, the ANC has declared this year “The Year of Renewal,” emphasizing internal reform, improved service delivery, and a renewed commitment to its founding principles.

For South Africans, this statement is more than rhetoric—it serves as a barometer for the party’s readiness to tackle the country’s pressing social, economic, and governance crises.

Renewal as a Necessity, Not an Option

The ANC’s acknowledgment of its internal shortcomings is striking. Describing its 2024 electoral performance as a “strategic setback,” the party admitted to organizational weaknesses, a damaged brand, and failures in service delivery that have eroded public trust. To address these, the ANC has outlined a series of reforms aimed at rebuilding its credibility, including:

• Strengthening Accountability: A new Accountability Framework will hold public representatives and leaders answerable for their actions, with stricter consequences for misconduct.
• Improving Leadership Quality: Enhanced political education, ethical training, and stricter screening processes aim to weed out corruption and factionalism.
• Engaging Communities: A stronger grassroots presence through ANC branches is positioned as central to addressing local grievances and rebuilding trust.

These measures reflect an understanding that renewal is essential for survival, particularly as the party navigates its position in a coalition government for the first time since 1994.

Six Priorities for 2025

The statement identifies six key areas where the ANC intends to focus its efforts this year:

1. Internal Renewal: Transforming the ANC into a more effective and ethical political organization.
2. Fixing Local Government: Addressing service delivery failures, water security, and infrastructure development.
3. Inclusive Economic Growth: Accelerating industrialization, tackling unemployment, and fostering township economies.
4. Fighting Crime and Corruption: Strengthening law enforcement and addressing gender-based violence and organized crime.
5. National Dialogue: Creating platforms for citizens to shape solutions to economic exclusion and social inequality.
6. Global Leadership: Advancing Pan-Africanism and leveraging South Africa’s G20 presidency to promote multilateralism and development.

These priorities are ambitious, but implementation remains the true test of the party’s resolve.

What This Means for Governance

For those monitoring government performance, the ANC’s 2025 agenda raises critical questions about its ability to deliver meaningful change:

• Legislative Action: Policies such as the National Health Insurance (NHI) and the BELA Act will require effective parliamentary oversight and public participation.
• Service Delivery: Promises to tackle water security and energy stability are significant, particularly following the progress in addressing load-shedding. However, the scale of South Africa’s infrastructure deficits demands consistent and transparent progress reporting.
• Corruption and Crime: While measures like the Integrity Commission and Operation Shanela are promising, their success hinges on sustained enforcement and public trust in institutions.

Read the Full January 8th Statement

For a detailed look at the ANC’s plans and priorities, read the full January 8th Statement here: ANC January 8th Statement 2025

A Moment of Reckoning

The ANC’s statement is a rallying cry, but it also underscores the high stakes for the party in 2025. With its legacy and future as a dominant political force hanging in the balance, the ANC’s ability to renew itself and address South Africa’s challenges will determine its trajectory heading into the next electoral cycle.

As citizens, our role in holding government accountable has never been more vital. Platforms like parliamentary monitoring tools can empower individuals and organizations to track the implementation of these commitments, ensuring that rhetoric translates into action.

Stay informed, stay engaged, and let’s work together to ensure that 2025 becomes a year of not just promises, but progress.