South African President, Jacob Zuma:

A new policy document on Sunday hinted that the African Ruling Congress, ANC, South Africa’s ruling African Party, needs to end corruption and disunity, if it must stay politically relevant.

ANC would also deliver on promises to tackle poverty if it is to halt declining voter support, according to the report.

According to Reuters/ The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the ANC has been under pressure to adjust its policies after losing votes at elections in 2016 to the left wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party.

The EFF proposes radical redistribution of the economy and land to the black majority.

“The ANC faces declining fortunes,’’ according to the strategy paper, released ahead of a party conference on June 30.

“Internal squabbles, money politics, corruption and poor performance in government all conspire to undermine its legitimacy in the eyes of the broader public.’’

The policy discussion paper talked about reducing unemployment and inequality, ending government corruption and improving economic growth, but contained few specifics.

ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said new policies would be laid out in more detail after the conference.

President Jacob Zuma called this month for the constitution to be changed so white-owned land could be redistributed to black South Africans without compensation, a measure long-proposed by the EFF and supported by many poor voters.

The ANC has not made this an official party policy and has pledged to act within the law.

The strategy paper said the ANC would not yield to calls by EFF to nationalise mines because it would lead to massive job losses, a move that may ease any lingering concerns among gold, platinum, coal and diamond mining firms.

South Africans are disillusioned by festering inequality.

Black people make up 80 per cent of the 54 million populations yet, two decades after the end of apartheid, most of the economy remains in the hands of white people, who account for about 8 per cent of the population.

(Reuters/NAN)