ANC ‘Luthuli House spiritual cleansing’ idea sparks scepticism

A spiritual cleansing won't change the fortunes of the African National Congress (ANC).

That's according to CapeTalk host John Maytham, responding to a recent News24 article.

The piece alleges that some ANC members have called for a traditional cleansing ceremony at the ANC’s headquarters, Luthuli House.

"There is a whole range of rational, logical reasons for me as to why the ANC is in trouble. A spiritual cleansing ceremony is not going to change those," said Maytham.

The call for the cleansing comes after growing internal divisions and declining electoral support.

Some members apparently suggest that negative energy is the reason behind ongoing factionalism and even the party's losses to the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party), led by former president Jacob Zuma.

Dr Jameo Calvert, president of the Traditional Health Practitioners Association of Southern Africa, says spiritual cleansing rituals have long been part of many African cultural traditions.

He adds that their purpose is to correct a 'wrong' and is also often about renewal and rebuilding.

"We can't look at this from a single political moment from the ANC, because speaking to the nature of cleansing, we're looking into the history of a lineage."

That lineage, says Calvert, includes many late struggle stalwarts who, while alive, fought hard for freedom.

"You start asking yourself, well, if these fighters back then were fighting for freedom that we haven't obtained yet, could it be that their spirits are not at peace?"

But Calvert adds that introspection and accountability are essential as part of the cleansing process, saying that for such a process to be effective, the ANC would need to do some internal reckoning.

"You need to acknowledge that I've done wrong, before you can even start saying, I'm going to cleanse... Perhaps you should ask yourself what we did wrong that the ancestors are not protecting us?"

To listen to Calvert in conversation with CapeTalk's John Maytham, use the audio player below: