South Africa’s ruling party must regain support, says leader

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the ruling party, the African National Congress, must work to regain popular support after being embroiled in corruption scandals and divided by bitter factional rivalries. Marking the ANC’s 110th anniversary Saturday, Ramaphosa struck a somber note, emphasizing that the party of Nelson Mandela which helped South Africa to achieve democracy, has lost voter support. The birthday event comes days after a state-backed judicial investigation revealed how some of the party’s top officials had benefited from corruption. The ANC is also sharply divided between those backing Ramaphosa, who is also president of the party, and those loyal to former President Jacob Zuma, who has been embroiled in legal battles since he left office in 2018.