Human Settlements Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, says the ANC must decide if it still wants to be the salvation of the South African people - or be responsible for their downfall.
She was addressing a gathering in Kliptown in Johannesburg yesterday where she delivered the Nelson Mandela memorial lecture.
Sisulu, who has accepted nomination for the ANC presidency, said they were meeting on sacred ground and needed to remember where they came from.
"What we must do is to cleanse the ANC and recover its original values," she said.
"These are challenges worth facing and this is only but one of them. These are challenges worth facing because our nation is going through one of the most difficult moments of its life and people are wondering why we in the ANC are dithering," Sisulu said.
She said the it was worth it to "cleanse the ANC" because it is a cause that provides a sense of purpose and meaning to all of us. It is worth it because our history demands it of us, our history beckons to us and says go back to the Freedom Charter, go back to Kliptown and move from there. Ignite the hope our people," Sisulu said.
The daughter of the ANC stalwart Walter Sisulu said that "we must place our people and their well-being at the centre of the such transcedental heritage, this is a must".
"It is not a decision taken for personal interest but for the ANC and the whole nation's sake, it is a must. For me it is a deep personal commitment to put the common South African man or woman and their well-being at the centre of Luthuli, Mandela and Tambo's legacy. It's simply for me a must," she said.
