Arab Spring

Former president Thabo Mbeki has warned the ANC's failures may lead to a similar violent uprising as those witnessed during the Arab Spring of 2011. He says ...

Former president Thabo Mbeki has once again criticised the ANC for having 'no plan' to deal with South Africa's socio-economic challenges.

people faced with lawlessness that I’m talking about. “So many people poor… we don’t have it.

Thabo Mbeki made the comments on the back of the country's record-high unemployment, concerning crime trends and energy insecurity.

Nothing has happened, nothing," Mbeki said. Mbeki made the comments on the back of the country's record-high unemployment, concerning crime trends and energy insecurity. Thabo Mbeki made the comments on the back of the country's record-high unemployment, concerning crime trends and energy insecurity.

Former president Thabo Mbeki says there is no national plan to address a number of social ills, including poverty, unemployment, criminality and inequality.

“I am saying to honour the legacy of comrade Jessie, you’ve got to do something about that,” he said. “Comrade Cyril Ramaphosa, when he delivered the state of the nation address (Sona) in February, said ‘in 100 days there must be an agreed comprehensive social compact to address these matters’. Nothing has happened, nothing,” Mbeki said on Thursday evening. To some extent, he blames President Cyril Ramaphosa, who he says has not delivered on a promise made earlier this year to address the challenges.

Former president says inaction on unemployment, inequality and corruption risks unrest similar to 'Arab Spring uprisings'

“There is no national plan to address these challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality. It doesn’t exist. Former president Thabo Mbeki launched a scathing attack on Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday, saying the president’s failure to keep his promises to tackle unemployment, inequality and poverty heightened the risks of social unrest comparable to the Arab Spring uprisings.

The former president honoured fallen anti-apartheid hero Jessie Duarte by pointing out the flaws in the ruling party. Speaking at Duarte's memorial service ...

“She was both a tower of strength to the organisation, as well as a matriarch and pillar of her family. “The national policy conference of the ANC is meeting in a week’s time and on that agenda one of the matters is renewal of the ANC. A very, very straightforward matter. Comrade President Cyril Ramaphosa, when he addressed the state of the nation in February, that is where he said that in 100 days there must be a comprehensive social compact to address these matters. To serve the people with no expectation of a reward to these revolutionaries except for the reward of fulfilling the aspirations of the people. “In terms of our commitment to serve people, we have to address those issues. “Comrade Jessie would have understood a number of things, that as a revolutionary, we really exist to serve the people – that justifies our existence.

Mbeki, who led South Africa immediately after Nelson Mandela stepped down in 1999, criticized President Cyril Ramaphosa for failing to deliver on a pledge he ...

Former president Thabo Mbeki has warned that South Africa will experience its own “Arab Spring” if the unemployment, poverty, and crime are not addressed ...

That has nothing to do with serving the people of South Africa, it’s got to do with something else,” he said. He said the people would erupt in anger because daily they were hearing of ANC leaders being corrupt and nothing was being done to address these issues. “He said the country is on autopilot. One day this is going to explode,” said Mbeki. There is no national plan to address these challenges of poverty, unemployment, inequality,” said Mbeki. But the fact of the matter comrades as I’m standing here, is that we do not have an agreed national plan to address these challenges.

Mbeki says current president has failed to deliver on his promises to address poverty and curb government corruption.

He must do the right thing and submit himself to the same processes that he demands of others, otherwise he risks eroding trust in government and damaging the ethical standing of his office,” the statement read. Mbeki, who was removed from office in 2008 after a brutal factional war within the ruling ANC, had never previously criticised Ramaphosa publicly. “To serve the people requires that we address these issues.”