Enter the new era of mobile AI with Samsung Galaxy S24 Series:

Empowering everyday experiences, from barrier-free communication to awe-inspiring creativity to the power for even more possibilities, Galaxy AI transforms the iconic S Series for the future

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has proudly unveiled the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24, unleashing new mobile experiences with Galaxy AI¹. This ground-breaking Galaxy S Series leads the way into a new era that will forever change how mobile devices empower users. 

AI amplifies nearly every experience on Galaxy S24 series, from enabling barrier-free communication with intelligent text and call translations, to maximising creative freedom with Galaxy’s ProVisual Engine, to setting a new standard for searching that will change how Galaxy users discover the world around them. 

The global electronics giant is also thrilled to announce the pre-order availability of its highly anticipated AI-powered Galaxy S24 Series. Officially hitting the South African market on Friday 14 February 2024, local customers can secure their Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24+, or Galaxy S24 during the pre-order offer period, which opens on 31 January and runs through to 29 February 2024. Customers who pre-order any device from the Galaxy S24 Series through participating mobile operators can get a Galaxy Tab S9 FE, starting from just R99² per month.

“The Galaxy S24 Series transforms our connection with the world and ignites the next decade of mobile innovation,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “The Galaxy AI is built on our innovation heritage and deep understanding of how people use their phones. We are excited to see how our users around the world empower their everyday lives with Galaxy AI to open up new possibilities.”    

Make everyday experiences epic

Galaxy AI introduces meaningful intelligence aimed at enhancing every part of life, especially the phone’s most fundamental role: communication. When you need to defy language barriers, Galaxy S24 makes it easier than ever. 

Chat with another student or colleague from abroad. Book a reservation while on vacation in another country. It is all possible with Live Translate³, two-way, real-time voice and text translations of phone calls within the native app. No third-party apps are required, and on-device AI keeps conversations completely private. 

With Interpreter, live conversations can be instantly translated on a split-screen view so people standing opposite each other can read a text transcription of what the other person has said. It even works without cellular data or Wi-Fi. For messages and other apps, Chat Assist can help perfect conversational tones to ensure communication sounds as it was intended, such as a polite message to a co-worker or a short and catchy phrase for a social media caption⁴. 

AI built into the Samsung Keyboard can also translate messages in real-time in 13 languages⁵. In the car, Android Auto⁶ will automatically summarise incoming messages and suggest relevant replies and actions, like sending someone your ETA, so you can stay connected while staying focused on the road.

Organisation also gets a big boost with Note Assist⁷ in Samsung Notes, featuring AI-generated summaries, template creation that streamlines notes with pre-made formats, and cover creation to make notes easy to spot with a brief preview. For voice recordings, even when there are multiple speakers, Transcript Assist⁸ uses AI and Speech-to-Text technology to transcribe, summarise and even translate recordings.

Communication is not the only way Galaxy S24 Series takes the fundamental benefits of the phone into the future. Online search has transformed nearly every aspect of life. Galaxy S24 marks another milestone in the history of search as the innovative phone to debut intuitive, gesture-driven Circle to Search⁹ with Google. To give Galaxy users an incredible new tool, Galaxy turned to one of the worldwide trailblazers of search, Google, and opened up new forms of discovery with a simple gesture. 

With a long press on the home button, users can circle, highlight, scribble on, or tap anything on Galaxy S24’s screen to see helpful, high-quality search results. Seeing a beautiful landmark in the background of a friend’s social media post or a surprising fun fact on YouTube Shorts can quickly become an accurate search to learn more – without having to leave that app. And depending on a user‘s location, for certain searches, generative AI-powered overviews can provide helpful information and context pulled together from across the web, and users can ask more complex and nuanced questions. It is that easy. And that epic.

Unleash creativity to discover the world in new ways

Galaxy S24 Series’s ProVisual Engine¹⁰ is a comprehensive suite of AI-powered tools that transform image capturing abilities and maximise creative freedom every step of the way, from setting up a shot all the way to sharing it on social media. Gone are shaky, pixelated images taken from far away. Galaxy S24 Ultra’s Quad Tele System, with new 5x optical zoom lens, works with the 50MP sensor to enable optical-quality performance at zoom levels from 2x, 3x, 5x to 10x¹¹ magnification thanks to Adaptive Pixel Sensor. Images also show crystal clear results at 100x with enhanced digital zoom.

With upgraded Nightography capabilities, photos and videos shot on Galaxy S24 Space Zoom are brilliant in any conditions, even when zoomed in. Capture more light in dim conditions with Galaxy S24 Ultra’s larger pixel size, now 1.4 ?m, which is 60% bigger¹² compared to the previous model. Blur is reduced on Galaxy S24 Ultra with wider optical image stabiliser (OIS) angles and enhanced hand-shake compensation. 

When recording videos, both front and rear cameras are equipped with Dedicated ISP Block for noise reduction, and Galaxy S24 analyses gyro information to distinguish between the filmer’s movement and the subject’s. This allows more effective noise removal and clear videos in the dark, even from far away.

After great shots are captured, innovative Galaxy AI editing tools enable simple edits like erase, re-compose, and remaster. For easier and more efficient optimisations, Edit Suggestion¹³ uses Galaxy AI to suggest perfectly suitable tweaks for each photo. To give users even more creative control and freedom, Generative Edit¹⁴ can fill in parts of an image background with generative AI. When a picture is crooked, AI will fill in the borders. 

When an object needs to be slightly moved to be in the perfect position, AI lets users adjust the position of the subject and generates a blended background in its original spot. Anytime Galaxy S24 deploys generative AI to amplify an image, a watermark will appear on the image and in metadata. And if an action-packed video needs to be slowed down, new Instant Slow-mo can generate additional frames based on movements to smoothly slow down action-packed moments for a more detailed look.

To ensure every image stuns at every stage, Super HDR reveals lifelike previews before the shutter is ever pressed. And while capturing memories is an essential phone feature, sharing memories with the world is just as meaningful. Now, third-party social apps make the most of Galaxy’s AI-powered camera system. 

Premium Galaxy S Series camera features now integrate directly with mobile apps in HDR to level up social sharing¹⁵. When it is time to find an image in Gallery or Instagram feed and reels, photos and videos are also shown in Super HDR for a more lifelike range of brightness, colour and contrast by analysing highlighted sections of the images. 

Galaxy’s most intelligent experience ever, powered by premium performance

As AI becomes a more prominent part of everyday life, performance power must excel to meet the demands. Gaming. Heavy-duty video recording and editing. Jumping between five apps to plan a trip. Whatever the task, Galaxy S24 provides an incredible experience thanks to enhancements in its chipset¹⁶, display and more. Every Galaxy S24 Ultra is equipped with Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform for Galaxy¹⁷. 

Optimised especially for Galaxy users, this chipset delivers remarkable NPU improvement for incredibly efficient AI processing. In all three Galaxy S24 models, 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rates also improve performance efficiency. Galaxy gaming is more powerful thanks to hardware and software improvements. The Galaxy S24 Ultra boasts an optimal thermal control system with a 1.9 times larger vapor chamber¹⁸, improving device surface temperature, while also maximising sustained performance power. 

Ray tracing enables life-like visuals with superior shadow and reflection effects. And through collaboration with formidable gaming partners, Galaxy S24 lets users enjoy more optimised, popular global mobile games. Visuals are more vibrant and captivating on the brightest Galaxy display ever¹⁹. Galaxy S24 reaches 2,600nit peak brightness and delivers improved outdoor visibility with Vision Booster. 

Advanced security and privacy empowers user choice and trust 

Secured by Samsung Knox, Galaxy’s defence-grade, multi-layer security platform, Galaxy S24 safeguards critical information and protects against vulnerabilities with end-to-end secure hardware, real-time threat detection and collaborative protection. Samsung’s long-standing commitment to provide users choice and control over their device continues in the era of AI. Galaxy S24 users have full controllability over how much they allow their data to enhance AI experiences, through Advanced Intelligence settings, which can disable online processing of data for AI features²².  

The Knox Matrix ²³ vision of a secure, connected and password-less future is also advanced with passkeys. Passkeys enable convenient and secure access to a users’ registered websites and apps across all their trusted devices through digital credentials, helping protect against phishing attacks. 

On the display, Corning® Gorilla® Armor²⁰ on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is optically enhanced and strives to demonstrate superior durability against damage caused by every day scratches. It delivers dramatically reduced reflection by up to 75% in a wide range of lighting conditions, ensuring a smooth, comfortable viewing experience. Across the Galaxy S24 Series, design enhancements with slimmer and even bezels make it easier to immerse in any viewing experience and enable larger screen sizes on Galaxy S24+’s 6.7-inch and Galaxy S24’s 6.2-inch displays within nearly the same size specifications²¹. Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 6.8-inch flatter display, optimised not just for viewing but also for productivity. Plus, Galaxy S24+ now supports the same level of QHD+ found on Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Enhanced Data Protection offers end-to-end encryption when users backup, sync or restore their data with Samsung Cloud, allowing Galaxy S24 users to connect to other devices while staying synchronised and secure. This is in an effort to ensure that data can only be encrypted or decrypted on a user’s devices, meaning nobody can see it but the user, even if a server is compromised or account details are stolen. And if access to a trusted device is lost, a recovery code can help prevent loss of data.

Galaxy S24 is also protected with Samsung’s expansive list of innovative security and privacy features including Knox Vault, Security & Privacy Dashboard, Auto Blocker, Secure Wi-Fi, Private Share, Maintenance Mode and more. 

The next phase of Samsung’s environmental journey

Establishing a new category of mobile experiences also means re-imagining how Galaxy technology is designed and packaged to do more with less for people and the planet. Galaxy S24 continues to scale the variety of recycled materials in Galaxy devices by applying recycled plastics, glass and aluminium to internal and external components²⁴. 

It also takes these efforts one step further. For the first time, Galaxy S24 features components made with recycled cobalt and rare earth elements²⁵. In Galaxy S24 Ultra, a minimum of 50% recycled cobalt was used in the battery²⁶, and 100% recycled rare earth elements were incorporated into the speakers²⁷. Galaxy S24 is also the first Galaxy S Series to be designed with recycled steel and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). Galaxy S24 Ultra features a minimum of 40% recycled steel in the speakers²⁸, and it includes a minimum of 10% pre-consumer recycled TPU in the side and volume keys. Additionally, every Galaxy S24 comes in a packaging box made from 100% recycled paper material. 

The latest flagship continues Samsung’s commitment to extending the product life cycle, offering seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates to help users reliably experience the optimised performance of their Galaxy devices for even longer²⁹. Lastly, Galaxy S24 is UL ECOLOGO^® certified³⁰, and its carbon footprint has been measured and verified by The Carbon Trust³¹. 

Galaxy S24 is a demonstration of progress against Samsung MX’s environmental roadmap. Samsung remains steadfast in delivering on its set of goals to be achieved by the end of 2025³². At the end of 2022, Samsung achieved the first of these goals by incorporating recycled materials in all mobile products, from Galaxy smartphones and tablets to PCs and wearables. Today, the company is setting a new recycled material goal. By 2030, Samsung will incorporate at least one recycled material in every module³³ of every mobile product.

Precision technology and elegance in every detail

Galaxy S24 Ultra is the first-ever Galaxy phone to feature a titanium frame³⁴, enhancing device durability and longevity. Galaxy S24 Ultra’s significantly thinner body enables better on-the-go experience with more comfortable grip. On Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24, a streamlined One-mass design satisfies a more aesthetic standard with seamless connection between the device’s rear cover and side frame. 

The Galaxy S24 series comes in Earth mineral-inspired colour tones. On Galaxy S24 Ultra, colours³⁵ include: Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Violet and Titanium Yellow. On Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24 colours include: Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet and Amber Yellow. All three models will come with additional colours available online only. 

Additionally, Samsung is offering an enticing trade-in option. Customers who pre-order any device through retail or cash channels, including the Samsung eStore, Samsung Brand Stores, Incredible Connection, Game, Makro, will Take-A-Lot, and receive a generous R4 000 in-store voucher or an impressive R10 000 trade-in cash back³⁶. 

As part of the special-pre-order offer, customers can opt for one year of Samsung Care Plus at a reduced rate of R499³⁷. This exclusive offer includes one screen replacement within a year from the date of purchase, providing customers with peace of mind. Activation of the Samsung Care Plus offer must occur within 30 days of purchase. For more information about Galaxy S24 series, please visit: Samsung Newsroom, Samsungmobilepress.com or Samsung.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at https://news.samsung.com/za/

Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games

Samsung has been a Worldwide Olympic Partner since the Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998. For over 25 years, athletes and fans have trusted Samsung’s transformative mobile technology to share the Olympic spirit globally and continue to shape the digital future of the Olympic Games for Beijing 2022 and beyond. The company’s commitment to the Olympic Movement will enter its fourth decade of partnership and extend through Los Angeles 2028. Samsung’s purposeful innovations in the wireless communications and computing equipment category, including the activations of Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and 5G features of that equipment will change the way the world experiences the Olympic Games.

About Samsung’s involvement in the Paralympic Games

Samsung is a Worldwide Partner of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in the wireless communications and computing equipment category. Starting from the Paralympic Winter Games Torino 2006, the company has proudly supported the Paralympic Movement and enabled athletes and fans around the world to share the excitement and inspiration of the Games through Samsung’s transformative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment to the Paralympic Games will extend through to Los Angeles 2028 and be celebrated through innovative mobile and computing experiences powered by purposeful innovations in the wireless communications and computing equipment category, including the activations of Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and 5G features of that equipment.

Footnotes

[1] Terms and Conditions Apply.

[2] Terms and Conditions Apply. Both the cash offer and the tariff discount offer are subject to trade-in against qualifying devices and qualifying criteria that

will apply during the above sales offer periods. Purchases through unofficial resellers may not qualify for Trade-In offers – Cash or Tariff Discount.

[3] Terms and Conditions Apply.

[1] Samsung does not make any promises, assurances or guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the output provided by AI features. Samsung Account login may be required to use certain Samsung AI features.

[2] Live Translate requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Live Translate is only available on the pre-installed Samsung Phone app. Certain languages may require language pack download. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

[3] Tone suggesting feature in Chat Assist requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Must meet length requirements to activate feature. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

[4] Translating feature in Chat Assist may require Samsung Account login. Some chat applications may not support this feature. Certain languages may require language pack download. Service availability may vary by language. This feature is activated when a translatable language is detected. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

[5] The new features of Android Auto will be supported with app update.

[6] Note Assist requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Character limit applies. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

[7] Transcript Assist requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Transcript Assist is only available on the pre-installed Samsung Voice Recorder app or files recorded using the pre-installed Samsung Phone app. Voice recording feature in the pre-installed Samsung Phone app may not be supported in some countries. Audio files must be under 3 hours in duration to be processed. Summarizing feature in Transcript Assist can be activated when a certain number of characters is met. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

[8] Results may vary depending on visual matches. Requires internet connection. Users may need to update Android to the latest version. Product functionality may be dependent on your app and device settings. Some functions may not be compatible with certain apps. Availability of the service varies by country and language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

[9] AI Zoom is applied to distances between digital zoom lengths. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

[10] 3x and 5x distances are optical zoom. 2x and 10x distances are optical quality zoom.

[11] Compared to Galaxy S23 Ultra.

[12] Edit Suggestion is compatible with JPG, PNG, GIF and MP4 formats. Edit results and quality may vary depending on the photography or filming condition. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

[13] Generative Edit requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Editing with Generative Edit results in a resized photo up to 12MP. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed.

[14] Some social media apps may not support Super HDR. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

[15] AP performance improvements shown compared to prior generation chipset. Actual performance will depend on user environment, conditions, and pre-installed software and applications.

[16] Snapdragon branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

[17] Compared Galaxy S24 Ultra to Galaxy S23 Ultra.

[18] The Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on Galaxy S24 Ultra received a certification from VDE Germany for 100 percent Mobile Colour Volume in the DCI-P3 color range, which means your images aren’t washed out and you’ll get unbelievably vivid colours regardless of differing levels of brightness. The display can achieve peak brightness of up to 2,600 nits, improving the contrast between dark and light aspects of digital content for a more brilliant picture quality, with a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio to make your mobile experience more immersive.

[19] Corning® Gorilla® Armor is incorporated into front display of Galaxy S24 Ultra. Scratch tested compared to a competitive aluminosilicate cover glass and reflection tested compared to a typical glass.

[20] Compared to Galaxy S23+ and Galaxy S23 respectively. The display and device size of each model: Galaxy S23+(6.6-inch, 76.2 x 157.8 x 7.6mm), Galaxy S24+(6.7-inch, 75.9 x 158.5 x 7.7mm), Galaxy S23(6.1-inch, 70.9 x 146.3 x 7.6mm), Galaxy S24(6.2-inch, 70.6 x 147 x 7.6mm).

[21] Samsung Account login required. Advanced Intelligence settings preventing server access will limit the functionality of some AI features. Regardless of server access, Samsung does not save user input or output data.

[22] Knox Matrix is supported on Galaxy smartphones and tablets with One UI 6 or above. Availability may vary by country or region.

[23] Galaxy S24 Ultra features recycled materials in the Top Speaker Module, Bottom Speaker Module, Case Front, S Pen Inner Cover, S Pen’s Knob Holder, Side Key, Volume Key, SIM Tray, Camera Deco, Front Screen, Back Glass and Battery.

[24] Neodymium

[25] The batteries of the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy S24+ include a minimum of 50% pre- and post-consumer recycled cobalt. The battery of the Galaxy S24 includes a minimum of 10% pre- and post-consumer recycled cobalt. The above measurements are based on weight.

[26] The speakers of the Galaxy S24 series include 100% pre- and post-consumer recycled neodymium. The above measurements are based on weight.

[27] The speakers of the Galaxy S24 series include a minimum of 40% pre- and post-consumer recycled steel. The above measurements are based on weight.

[28] Availability and timing of Android OS upgrades and security updates may vary by device model and market.

[29] UL ECOLOGO® Certified products and services are verified for reduced environmental impact based on environmental performance criteria throughout its life cycle, including energy reduction, materials, health, environment, and manufacturing and operations. Galaxy S24 series met the UL 110 which is the UL Environmental Standard for Mobile Phones Sustainability.

[30] The Carbon Trust has measured and verified the cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of the Galaxy S24 series, including manufacturing, distribution, use and eventual disposal. This has been verified against PAS2050, an internationally recognized standard.

[31] In 2021, the Samsung MX business announced a set of four goals across its products and business to be accomplished by the end of 2025. The goals include developing and incorporating recycled materials in all new mobile products, eliminating single-use plastics from mobile packaging, reducing the standby power consumption of all smartphone chargers to zero, and achieving zero waste to landfill across global operations.

[32] Samsung defines a module of a smartphone as the Antenna, Battery, Camera, Display, Mechanical Components, Motor, PBA/FPCB, Speaker, Wireless Charger Module and Packaging.

[33]Titanium is only applied on the device frame. Frame does not include volume and side keys.

[34] Colors may vary by market and carrier.

– The Mail & Guardian

It is the ANC that is the threat to its future, not opposition parties:

It has been 30 years since the ANC ascended to power, following South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994. It is only fair to acknowledge that with its victory, the lives of the historically marginalised South Africans, the majority of whom were black, changed dramatically relative to their conditions under the apartheid regime. But the historically marginalised society that blithely tasted the fruits of democracy are running out of reasons for gratitude to the ANC. 

This is not only because of slow service delivery, it is also because even the infrastructure the ANC government built is crumbling and dysfunctional. The water taps lining the streets in many villages go dry for months. The roads in these rural areas are so damaged that they resemble gorges. And the people in these affected areas know that the cause is the government’s negligence to maintain the infrastructure.

Nonetheless the former glory of the ANC still endures in the hearts and minds of the people. And the reasons are not entirely sentimental. The beneficiaries of state welfare programmes such as the older person and foster child grants associate these benefits with the ANC. But there are signs that the growing disillusionment is increasingly outweighing the last drops of appreciation for the ANC government. 

The eclipse of the ANC’s former glory is not an unavoidable act of nature. It is human-made, internally generated and a chronic moral crisis. And endemic in the progression of chronic conditions is the forgetfulness that they are abnormal, causing a delay or obstacles to interventions.

Observers often highlight corruption and factionalism as the major threats that could precipitate the demise of the ANC if not addressed decisively. That assessment is not off the mark. But I have a slightly different view of the characterisation of these factors, and the perceived order in the causal chain. In my opinion, corruption or factionalism are not causes; they are effects of a more sinister and complex problem. 

A closer investigation of the internal machinations of factionalism would lead us to conclude that, at its core, is a cult of personality. This interpretation of factionalism highlights two crucial elements. First, the phenomenon of factionalism does not materialise from a vacuum. There is a factional cultic leader at the centre, regardless of whether they were responsible for, or complicit in their positioning as the cult leader. The outcome of this logic is that the cult leader is guilty of the greater crime than their followers.

And one of the most dangerous elements about the cult of personality is its amoral character. The party principles are subordinated to the whims of the individual, who cannot be wrong in the eyes of their supporters, often resulting in the knee jerk reaction expressed in the slogan “hands off our leader”. And because cult leaders are exempted from ethics by their followers, it does not matter if they are corrupt. If anything, their criminal examples pave the way for corruption to spread widely under their leadership.

Multiply the number of the cult leaders, and the complications of the party grow exponentially. Dealing with the corrupt leaders gets complicated by the considerations for the numerical supremacy of their factional followers, and the magnitude of the influence associated with it. And suspending or undermining the rule of law for one cult leader invites a slippery slope of widespread impunity. The by-product, in the words of former minister and ANC Women’s League leader Bathabile Dlamini, is “All of us in the [ANC] NEC [national executive council] has a ‘small-anyana’ skeleton.” So who dares to correct others?

But if the personality cult in the ANC continues unabated, the collateral damage is most severe for the lives of the people, who are the main source of the party’s political and state power. The causal link is not untraceable. In the culture of factionalism it is not guaranteed that the choice of political leaders will be driven by confidence in their competence to implement the party’s mandate for the people. 

So in my view the future of the ANC depends on its own radical political transformation. That task entails another struggle for liberation. But this time the goal is to liberate the ANC from its divisive captors and put it back in the hands of the people and the national democratic revolution programme.

To appreciate this charge, the ANC will have to recall that its abysmal performance in the 2016 local government elections disproved any illusions of self-sufficiency without the voters. And I hope that it also taught the ANC that the pulse of the party is the masses. And that matters even if it takes another five years for the party to be confronted by the people at the polling stations. 

So the ANC may have to shift its gaze from the perceived threat from opposition parties. The demise of the party is not likely to happen in the theatre of ideological competition against other political parties. It will be from the final response of people to the ANC’s chronic moral crisis, and the lack of commitment or courage to end it. 

And despite its public display of hubris, it is not inconceivable that the sensible among the ANC leaders contemplate this year’s elections with foreboding. It is at the polls where the ANC’s self-aggrandisement gets tested. And it is also at the polls that the lack of courage to eradicate corruption and incompetence gets punished by the voters. 

In his address during the dialogue convened by the Thabo Mbeki Leadership Institute on 22 August last year, former president Mbeki remarked, “When you say I must go campaigning next year, to say to people vote for the ANC, how am I going to do that when I know very well that the branch of the ANC in this constituency is led by a criminal?” I am convinced that Mbeki’s remarks and candour were out of his sincere commitment to the party’s renewal. I argue that it was dutiful loyalty to the ANC that triggered his public denunciation of leadership immorality in the party, which is the major obstacle to the party’s renewal. 

It would be naïve to believe that every ANC member was impressed by Mbeki’s rhetorical question, especially with elections being around the corner. But that attitude would be part of the problem, not the solution for the ANC. As counterintuitive as it may sound, Mbeki’s rhetorical question is more important and urgent than the cosmetic narrative for winning the elections. Besides, the ANC going to the 2024 elections is in its weakest shape. The ANC should view its renewal as the priority long game. It will take more than the promotional election manifesto to achieve the renewal. It might be prudent to look beyond 2024, and make the party’s renewal a priority even if it is not convenient to say what needs to be said as the party gears up for the 2024 elections. 

Whatever the outcomes of the 2024 elections might be for the ANC, undertaking the radical political transformation of the party will still demand serious attention. And I suspect that the election results will confirm this imperative. 

The formation of the ANC Veterans’ League is a formidable movement towards the party’s renewal. But the structural and systemic nature of the ANC’s internal problems require the power and the executive authority of ethical leaders in the decision-making structures of the party. And I sincerely hope that someday the ANC will once again find the ethically and intellectually courageous leaders it once had and cherished. 

The battle to secure the future of the ANC is not against the opposition parties. It is against the ANC itself. And winning in the 2024 elections should be considered a comparatively short-term goal in relation to the greater task of radically transforming the party. 

Mzwandile Manto is a thinker and community activist.

– The Mail & Guardian

Climate crisis severely affecting survival of migratory species:

Climate change is already having ‘catastrophic impacts’ on many species and their ability to provide ecosystem services to humanity

– The Mail & Guardian

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