Will the ring of fire burst the ANC's bubble of denial?

It has been a torrid 12 months for the ANC and President Jacob Zuma. From the booing of the president at Nelson Mandela's memorial service last December to its toughest election campaign to date and a constant mauling from the newly configured opposition in Parliament, the ANC will wind down the year at its weakest point since taking power. According to Zuma, the ANC national executive committee (NEC) conceded last weekend that it was "in trouble". As the party takes stock and prepares for its 103rd anniversary in January, will it consider the ways of extinguishing the flames devouring the organisation? Or will it simply plough on in the hope that its history, control of the levers of power and majority in Parliament will carry it through the multiple crises? By RANJENI MUNUSAMY.