Stand with me to save the ANC: Sisulu

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.

Sisulu was addressing a crowd in Kliptown, Johannesburg, during a Nelson Mandela memorial lecture.

Sisulu said as the meeting was taking place on sacred ground it was important to remember where they came from.

Sisulu, speaking in her capacity as an ANC NEC member, urged South Africans to stand with her to return the party to its roots and honour the memory of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

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She gave a stern warning to the ruling party not to be arrogant and ignore the needs of the people to satisfy the needs of a few.

"I am going to work so that the sacred foundations of the new South Africa will never be crushed by personal ambitions, by corruption, by meanness, or by influence made behind the backs of people", said Sisulu.

"When the people of all our communities took to the streets to defend the principles of unity and reconciliation that founded this democracy, we heard them screeching from newspaper headlines. We heard them when our people spoke with their vote last year - and they made it clear to us what they felt about us."

"Those bells sounded as clear as ever a warning of the fact that we must not be arrogant because then we forget who we are and who put us here", said Sisulu.