Video: Motlanthe says alliance is dead

In an exclusive interview, Motlanthe said the Congress of SA trade Unions (Cosatu) and the SA Communist Party (SACP), the formerly independent ideological partners of the ANC, had lost their way and existed in name only.

In the wide-ranging interview, Motlanthe lashed out at intolerance in the ruling party saying many current members were devoid of the kind of political ability and consciousness required to maintain a united and non-racial society – a key ideal of the liberation struggle.

South Africa faced a crisis of which the symptoms included a rising public debt that curtailed the government’s ability to deliver.

Motlanthe has established a foundation that will work with a network of high-profile bodies to improve dialogue on South Africa’s fast-deteriorating economic and political situation.

He said South Africa was facing an economic crisis that most people did not comprehend.

Motlanthe’s comments come at a time when former leaders of the ANC are increasingly speaking out on an abyss they see South Africa sinking into. His foundation would work with key sectors to discuss urgent problems.

A former Robben Island prisoner, Motlanthe has served in many senior positions in the alliance and risen to the level of ANC deputy president. He was the country's president for a short period after the ANC booted Thabo Mbeki out of office in 2008.

He was scathing in his criticism of Cosatu, which expelled its general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and its biggest union, the National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa) this year.

“But you have a situation when office bearers actively go and divide the unions. I can’t think of anyone who claims to be a trade unionist who can with clear conscience expel 350000 workers. It’s unheard of.”

The decision to expel Numsa could have repercussions for the ANC come next year’s local government elections.

“My reading is that there is no alliance – there is one organisation existing inside the ‘integuments’ of erstwhile independent organisations. Today to talk about Cosatu as an independent organisation from the ANC or the SACP, I think is a delusion.”

He explained why he stood against President Jacob Zuma at the party’s elections in Mangaung in 2012, knowing full well he would lose.

At that conference, which was typically dogged by complaints of process-rigging and gerrymandering, Motlanthe turned down a nomination to stand for deputy president under Zuma – a role he held at the time.

He also declined another chance to sit on the ANC NEC.

“I was clear that if I continued serving in that leadership, it would be a constant battle just to get them to operate on the basis of the Constitution.”

Motlanthe said internal democracy in the ANC was “impaired”.

“The policies are in place, the Constitution is in place, but if those in power can pick and choose when to adhere, when not to adhere, then we have a very difficult situation.”

The expulsion of youth leader Julius Malema from the ANC was part of a rise of unethical, factional decision making, he said, adding young people were being pushed away from the ANC and its youth league.

The mother body even muzzled its own youth league at the recent conference, where the youth were simply instructed to toe the line.

Due to the dearth of internal democracy, the Economic Freedom Fighters looked more appealing to young activists.

“And so what the EFF is saying resonates with their own feelings and given the fact that the ANCYL doesn’t enjoy autonomy and freedom of expression, young people will gravitate to the EFF because they value the fact that there they can say what they want to say.”

Cosatu president S’dumo Dlamini said Motlanthe was “no longer in touch” with developments at the federation, while ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said, “I don’t want to argue with my predecessor”.

Motlanthe said bully tactics adopted by the ANC in the National Assembly had alienated people in minority race groups. Afrikaners for example, were “drawing back into their laager”.