The early to mid-phases of the ANC's fourth term in power displayed both incredible ANC strengths, and disconcerting weaknesses and vulnerabilities. In between, it showed projects to shield the movement, in organisation and in government power, from power decay. The exact balance was difficult to fathom. The answer to the vexing question of ‘how long will the ANC remain in power?’ was in the complex interface between movement, people, election outcomes, and performance in government. In the words of an ANC intellectual, the decline of ANC electoral power (one of the facets explored in this book) ‘is like an ocean wave rolling towards the coast … it will happen but we do not know the distance to the shore’.

The ‘state of the ANC’, circa 2011-12, was contradictory. There was the great historical movement, in power since 1994, in a continuously strong and trusting, even if somewhat eroded, relationship with the people of South Africa. It was a party that electorally continuously enjoyed a juggernaut status, despite some fraying at the edges and deficit standings in minority communities. In government it was on continuous improvement rolls, even if insufficiently conceptualised and poorly executed. It simultaneously battled the balance between comradely deployment and ruthless pursuits of performance. Organisationally it was a giant on porous legs, courtesy of a plethora of internal contests for position, privilege and influence over state resources, whether for personal or people gains. The mass movement's branches were often in a sorry state. These paradoxes mean that there are only complex answers to questions of ‘how long will the ANC remain in power’? It had lost some of its power. But the ANC was still at a point where it could self-correct. Even if it did not, or did so ineffectively, it still stood some good chances to retain power for some time to come.

The ANC had done an incredible amount in its first decades in power, on the fronts of organisation, people, elections and government. Its interventions confirmed that it had made progress towards the 1994 ideals. In the process, it was actively working to regenerate its organisational and government power.