African National Congress

[[File:Anclogo.jpg|thumb|upright|ANC logo]]{{politics}}
The '''African National Congress''', more often called by its acronym '''ANC''', is the political party which has ruled [[South Africa]] since the first truly [[democratic]] elections in 1994.  In subsequent national elections, the party has never received less than 62% of the total vote.<ref>[http://africanelections.tripod.com/za.html#1994_National_Assembly_Election 1994 election results]</ref> After the 1999 and 2004 elections, the party actually held more than the <sup>2</sup>/<sub>3</sub>rds majority required to change the Constitution.<ref>[http://africanelections.tripod.com/za.html#1999_National_Assembly_Election 1999 election results]</ref><ref>[http://africanelections.tripod.com/za.html#2004_National_Assembly_Election 2004 election results]</ref> Following a party split in the 2009 elections with the formation of a rival opposition party — the Congress of the People — the ANC's percentage of the vote declined to 65.9%.<ref>[http://electionresources.org/za/provinces.php?election=2009 2009 election results]</ref>

==History==
[[File:ctbench.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Reminder of apartheid: part of an art installation by Roderick Sauls]]
The party, formed in 1912, was the main opponent of [[White supremacy|white rule]] in the [[apartheid]] era. It only really came to prominence in the 1960s, with the Defiance Campaign, which was the deliberate flouting of the various [[Segregation|race laws]], especially those designating certain areas, including toilets, walkways, and even park benches. However, after the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, which was the tragic result of a protest march set up by the rival Pan African Congress (PAC) that was indiscriminately fired on by white police, the apartheid government of Hendrik Verwoerd banned both parties, forcing them underground. In 1961, the ANC took up the armed struggle against their oppressors, and formed a liberation army called ''Umkhonto we Sizwe'' (Spear of the Nation). Even after they abandoned this armed campaign, they were still regarded as a [[terrorist]] group by [[conservative]]s, white supremacists, and people who wanted a nice Cape wine with their 
bush chop
 [[Chile]]an sea bass.

In the [[United States]], the [[Reagan]] administration insisted on listing the ANC among terrorist organizations, proving the [[GOP]]'s tragically limited time horizon. Reagan's best [[UK]] bud, the truly freedom-loving [[Margaret Thatcher]], went along with it as well.

==Today==
Despite giving the world inspiring leaders, such as Nelson Mandela and Albert Lutuli, the ruling party has become involved in numerous scandals since taking power. Amongst these are:

*Travelgate (where MPs fraudulently converted their travel vouchers into cash)<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6057816.stm "South Africa MPs guilty of fraud"], BBC (17 October 2006, 8:23 AM GMT).</ref>
*former Minister of Health Tshabalala-Msimang's [[AIDS denialism]],<ref>Weber, Bruce, [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/world/africa/17manto.html "Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, South African Who Oversaw Discredited AIDS Policy, Dies at 69"], NYT 16 December 2009.</ref> ably supported by then-President [[Thabo Mbeki]] and his successor, [[Jacob Zuma]]...
*...who, together with a wealthy family, used populist language for plutocratic ends.<ref>Segal, David, [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/04/business/bell-pottinger-guptas-zuma-south-africa.html "How Bell Pottinger, P.R. Firm for Despots and Rogues, Met Its End in South Africa"], NYT 4 February 2018.</ref> He basically held the country hostage while spending all its money on giant mansions and shopping sprees in Dubai,<ref>Mzilikazi Wa Africa and Stephen Hofstatter, [https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/news/2017-06-04-inside-zumas-dubai-palace--and-mugabe-lives-next-door/ "Inside Zuma's Dubai palace ... and Mugabe lives next door"], Sunday Times (4 June 2017, 2:05 AM).</ref> took  {{wpl|South African Arms Deal|kickbacks}} from arms deals, and somehow survived a [[rape]] trial<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4879822.stm "SA's Zuma 'showered to avoid HIV'"], BBC (5 April 2006, 1:40 PM GMT).</ref> (don't worry, he didn't catch AIDS because he took a hot shower afterwards).{{onion}}
*He is now about to take his fourth wife. Note, that doesn't mean he's been divorced thrice; he already has ''[[Polygamy|three wives living with him]]'', according to Zulu custom and paid for by the [[tax]]payers.<ref>Nkosi, Milton, [http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36386034 "South Africa furore over flashy cars for Jacob Zuma's wives"], BBC26 May 2016.</ref> Oh and that doesn't include the wife who died and another who did divorce him. 
*It appears that President Zuma was evicted after one scandal too many.  Well, we're sure things will turn around now that they've elected a millionaire who is responsible for the murder of striking miners as the head of their party.<ref>Fletcher, Pavel, [https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE89N02T20121024 "S.Africa labour hero urged crackdown on "criminal" strike"], Reuters (24 October 2012, 10:34 AM).</ref>

Honestly, he was still a better pick than [[Nepotism president|Zuma's ex-wife]];<ref>Gaffey, Conor, [http://www.newsweek.com/jacob-zuma-nkosazana-dlamini-zuma-anc-609089 "South Africa's President Jacob Zuma Endorses Ex-Wife for Party Leadership"], Newsweek (5 May 2017, 6:30 AM).</ref> but the fact that the vote came down to her and Ramaphosa, an oligarch who OK'ed the murder of union activists, shows how weak the state of the party is. All of this has resulted in the party becoming less enamoured of the [[liberal]] norms that it helped to establish and going back to its more militant roots. First to go was the police special investigations unit, nicknamed the Scorpions (similar to the [[FBI]]), which had brought many of the MPs caught up in Travelgate to book. (Note: Not one politician was actually put on trial — a couple resigned and the rest promised to pay back the money "at some point"). It was disbanded and absorbed back into the police force.<ref>[http://constitutionallyspeaking.co.za/the-anc-and-scrapping-of-the-scorpions/ The ANC and scrapping of the Scorpions]</ref>

Next on their list is the independent press. The ANC doesn't seem to like the [[media]] saying nasty, but mostly true, things about it, and proposed and passed the Protection of Information Bill, which will allow any state organisation to declare ''anything'' it deems fit a [[Censorship|state secret]], resulting in hefty jail time for any [[journalist]] that publishes an article on the subject in question.<ref>[http://mg.co.za/article/2011-11-22-black-tuesday-secrecy-bill-passed-by-parliament Black Tuesday: Secrecy Bill passed in Parliament]</ref><ref>[http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/15/50691.html POI Bill is the veil for ANC secrets going back 20 years]</ref> This would imply that they could be able to [[cover up]] details of thearms deal corruption, Travelgate, Ministers using their offices to visit girlfriends in Swiss jails,<ref>[http://www.thenewage.co.za/mobi/Detail.aspx?NewsID=30429&CatID=1007 Minister guilty]</ref> etc. Ironically, when portions of the ANC's entry on [[Wikipedia]] were blacked out in protest, the ANC called it "vandalism" and said that "it's conduct that it (sic) not consistent with a civilised... society."<ref>[http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/ANC-outraged-over-censored-Wiki-page-20111123 ANC outraged over censored Wiki page]</ref>

In addition, it is proposing a state-funded media tribunal, which would replace the media ombudsman, who did not allow for punitive measures against newspapers. An ANC spokesman described the tribunal as "assisting" editors and — with no hint of [[irony]] — said that the ANC valued media freedom.<ref>[http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-08-10-anc-stands-firm-on-media-tribunal ANC stands firm on media tribunal]</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.anc.org.za The ANC's home page]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
[[Category:Political parties]]
[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:South Africa]]
[[Category:Social democratic political parties]]
[[Category:Government incompetence]]

Categories: Political parties, Africa, South Africa, Social democratic political parties, Government incompetence