Pandor says ANC has lost its glory and 'the people are looking at us with horror and shame'

JOHANNESBURG - Former International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor said that the African National Congress (ANC) has lost its glory and South Africans now look on the former liberation movement with "disdain".

Pandor said that the party now required leaders who were selfless and only served for the people, if the party wants to restore its majority support.

She made the comments on Sunday while delivering a lecture in the centenary celebration of former ANC Women’s League president, Gertrude Shope, who died in May this year.

"It is possible, comrades, to restore our lost glory. And we have lost our glory, let’s not pretend about it. The people are looking at us with disdain. The people are looking at us with horror and shame."

But Pandor said Shope believed the ANC could still renew itself and arrest the decline by appointing the right leaders.

"This area is our biggest fault line. We have forgotten that we exist to serve the people, that we exist for the people. We need to bring that back by scrutinising very carefully the leaders that we affirm and by ensuring that if our leaders fail at their duty, whatever position they occupy, we will hold them to account."