The intensified infighting unfolding in the ANC at the moment is neither new, surprising nor about to come to an end. It is a sore that has festered for so long that it is now in permanent destruct mode. It is devouring its host.

When Thabo Mbeki correctly fired Jacob Zuma as his deputy back in June 2005 — after Zuma’s associate was found guilty of bribing him — a huge chunk of the ANC went berserk. They did not stop and ask themselves: do we want a leader who took bribes as the deputy president of the country we purport to love and lead?..