The African National Congress’s (ANC’s) electoral committee secretary Chief Livhuwani Matsila on Monday refused to let a recent hijacking attempt stop him from pushing for the renewal of the ruling party.

He was speaking on a local radio station following another attempt to take his life on Sunday night. He survived a 20-hour kidnapping ordeal last week.

Matsila is tasked, with former President Kgalema Motlanthe, to work on the ANC’s renewal process ahead of the 2024 provincial and national elections.

“It is worth supporting a good cause to renew the organisation and to do what is right, to make sure that the ANC has got the right calibre… people who care for the society and who care for others. I think it is worth every effort. We should not spare efforts and we should not be scared. We can’t run away from responsibilities like these. We can’t run away,” said Matsila. 

He noted that the ANC renewal process would have casualties as “not everybody is happy about the renewal and the fight against the corruption and crime. I think the law enforcement agencies have got to step up their work”.

He noted two previous attempts on his life while working for the ANC.

He suspects that it was his “comrades” who were behind these attacks “because why would these kidnappings and hijackings happen when we are into serious processes of the ANC?”

He said political killings were becoming common in many parties, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.

When asked how ANC voters could be convinced to give the party another chance despite flailing support, he admitted  that the situation has become volatile within the party.

“We have to support the efforts that are underway to renew the ANC because if the renewal does not happen and things don’t change, there is no other hope…,” he stressed.