Wash, Rinse, Repeat: Jacob Zuma's play-it-again birthday speech

There was a time when the ANC was an initiator of fresh ideas and had the ability to generate strategy and policy proposals to respond to current conditions. It had a legion of thinkers and strategists at all levels of the organisation that kept the ANC vibrant and dynamic. That time is long gone, as was evident at the weekend's 103rd anniversary celebrations. The ANC is now in the business of recycling and presenting old proposals, which they previously failed to implement, as the pressure of a full-blown economic crisis in the country looms. Even President Jacob Zuma's anecdotes are old and tired. The ANC is in desperate need of a breath of fresh air, but it looks unlikely for a while yet. By RANJENI MUNUSAMY.