African National Congress (ANC) - History, Coming to power, Key personalities within the ANC, Criticism
The most important of the Black South African organizations opposed to the white regime. It began life in 1912 as the South African Native National Congress, and under the influence of Gandhi organized passive resistance to white power. Banned by the South African government in 1961, it began a campaign of industrial and economic sabotage through its military wing, and in the 1980s started attacking persons as well as property. Based in Zambia for several years, it was estimated to have a force of 6000 guerrillas. It was unbanned in February 1990, and suspended its armed struggle in August 1990, shortly before commencing negotiations with the South African government. It is the senior partner in an alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party. It dominated the first three sets of non-racial elections, taking 252 of the 400 seats in the Assembly in 1994, 266 seats in 1999, and 279 seats in 2004.
The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party, and has been South Africa's governing party supported by a tripartite alliance between itself, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) since the establishment of majority rule in May 1994.
It has been the ruling party at national level in South Africa since 1994.
History
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Formed initially on January 8, 1912 by John Dube, Pixley Seme and Sol Plaatje along with chiefs, people's representatives, and church organisations, and other prominent individuals to bring all Africans together as one people to defend their rights and freedoms, the ANC from its inception represented both traditional and modern elements, from tribal chiefs to church and community bodies and educated black professionals, though women were only admitted as affiliate members from 1931 and as full members in 1943.
The formation of the ANC Youth League in 1944 by Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, and Oliver Tambo heralded a new generation committed to building non-violent mass action against the legal underpinnings of the white minority's supremacy.
The return of an Afrikaner-led National Party government by the overwhelmingly white electorate in 1948 signaled the advent of the policy of apartheid.
In June 1952, the ANC joined with other anti-apartheid organisations in a Defiance Campaign against the restriction of political, labour and residential rights, during which protesters deliberately violated oppressive laws, following the example of Mahatma Gandhi's passive resistance in Natal and India.
In June 1955, the Congress of the People, organised by the ANC and Indian, Coloured and White organizations at Kliptown near Johannesburg, adopted the Freedom Charter, henceforth the fundamental document of the anti-apartheid struggle with its demand for equal rights for all regardless of race.
In 1959, a number of members broke away from the ANC because they objected to the ANC's reorientation from African nationalist policies.
Protest and banning
The ANC planned a campaign against the Pass Laws, which required blacks to carry an identity card at all times to justify their presence in "white" areas, to begin on 31 March 1960.
Violent political resistance
Underground or in exile, the ANC leadership concluded that the methods of non-violence such as those utilised by Gandhi against the British Empire during their colonisation of India, were not suitable against the apartheid system.
During the 1970s and '80s the ANC, under the leadership of the exiled Oliver Tambo, engaged in a variety of militant attacks within South Africa, usually from bases in Botswana, Mozambique or Swaziland.
As the years progressed, the ANC's attacks, coupled with international pressure and internal dissent, increased in South Africa.
Coming to power
In April 1994, in a tripartite alliance with the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the ANC won a landslide victory in the 1994 general election, and Nelson Mandela was elected the first President of South Africa.
In Kwa-Zulu Natal, the ANC maintained an uneasy coalition with the Inkatha Freedom Party after neither party won a majority in the 1994 and 1999 provincial elections.
In 2004, the party contested national elections in voluntary coalition with the New National Party (NNP), which it effectively absorbed following the NNP's dissolution in 2005.
By 2001, the tripartite alliance between the ANC, COSATU and SACP began showing signs of strain as the ANC moved to more liberal economic policies than its alliance partners were comfortable with.
In late 2004, this was again thrown into sharp relief by Zwelinzima Vavi of COSATU protesting the ANC's policy of "quiet diplomacy" towards the worsening conditions in Zimbabwe, as well as Black Economic Empowerment, which he complained benefits a favoured few in the black elite and not the masses.
As of 2005, the alliance was facing a crisis as Jacob Zuma, who was fired from his position as Deputy President of South Africa by Thabo Mbeki, faced corruption charges. Complicating the situation was the fact that Zuma remained Deputy President of the ANC, and maintained a strong following amongst many ANC supporters, and the ANC's alliance partners Alliance cracks widen as Zuma goes for broke IOL</ref>.
The ANC also faced (sometimes violent) protests in townships over perceived poor service delivery, as well as internal disputes, as local government elections approached in 2006.
Party List
Politicians in the party win a place in parliament by being on the Party List, which is drawn up before the elections and enumerates, in order, the party's preferred MPs.
The ANC has also gained members through the controversial floor crossing process.
Key personalities within the ANC
Before 1948: John Dube, Sol Plaatje, Pixley ka Isaka Seme 1948 to 1994: Chris Hani, Ahmed Kathrada, Albert Lutuli, Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, Thabo Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Cyril Ramaphosa, Walter Sisulu, Joe Slovo, Robert Sobukwe, Oliver Tambo, Dulcie September After 1994: Nelson Mandela, Sydney Mufamadi, Thabo Mbeki, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Tokyo Sexwale, Jacob ZumaCriticism
During its days in exile, the ANC was often criticised by western governments who shared the South African government's characterization of the group as a terrorist organization.
Archbishop Tutu in a 2004 speech criticized the Party List system as discouraging debate and encouraging patronage within the ANC.
Another accusation frequently levelled against the ANC is that they protect their high-ranking members in the face of controversy, and as such are seen as supporting criminal behaviour.
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