From Forum to League: A Strategic Imperative
for ANC Renewal

The African National Congress (ANC), in its historical capacity as a broad multi-class
movement, has always drawn strength from its ability to represent a wide spectrum of
South African society. The recent consideration to establish a Professionals Forum is a
commendable and necessary acknowledgment that a critical component of society,
the professionals and intellectuals, require dedicated and structured engagement, in
order to derive mutual benefit for both the ANC and this stratum.
While this step is laudable, the ANC’s current political reality, marked by declining
electoral support, widening social distance between the leadership and the people,
and complex governance challenges, demands a far bolder and more strategic
intervention. A mere forum, with its inherent limitations, is inadequate for the task at
hand in the current context.
Furthermore, strategic moves, such as establishing a professionals’ body within the ANC,
are as much about the “what” as they are about the “when”.

From Forum to League_ A Strategic Imperative for ANC Renewal (2)