Ekurhuleni - SACP general secretary Dr Blade Nzimande has warned that the ANC could soon lose power if it does not actively confront its pressing internal problems, including corruption, factionalism and anti-intellectualism.
Nzimande was speaking at the 26th anniversary of the late freedom fighter Chris Hani in Ekurhuleni on Wednesday.
He said the ANC and the broader alliance was faced with serious challenges that were threatening to destroy the movement if they were not address and raised.
“There is factionalism, state capture, corruption, anti-intellectualism, populism and gate keeping. These belong to the same place, and unless we deal with these, comrade Chris will have died in vain,”Nzimande said.
Nzimande also slammed loyalists of ANC secretary general Ace Magashule who disrupted the book launch of investigative journalist and author Pieter-Louis Myburgh, Gangster State: Unravelling Ace Magashule’s Web of Capture which was held in Sandton on Tuesday evening.
“These comrades who have got an issue about this book about our secretary general have a right to raise objections. We give them that. But they have no right in our name to go and disrupt the launch of the book and also threaten to burn the book. They have no right to do so. That is wrong. We are glad the ANC has condemned it because that is taking us back to the dark ages,” he said.
He accused the group of suffering from anti-intellectualism, adding that their behaviour risked destroying the movement if it was not condemned.
“Fighting for the right thing must not allow people to do wrong things. We must condemn that because if we don’t do it, it actually means we are digging the grave of burying this movement.
“This anti-intellectualism means we don’t want people who have ideas, who can have their own view and who can analyse because an analysing person is not wanted in factions as the factions feeds you its own ideas. You don’t question,” he said.
Magashule, who also attended the event, also distanced himself from those who wanted to burn the damning book in his defence.
“I agree with comrade Blade. It is unfortunate that comrades burn this book. There is no intellectualism about it. We have fought for freedom of speech. Let those who write, write whatever they like to write. When you burn their book you make them so special,” Magashule said.