While many in the ANC are working to strengthen the party structures before next year's elections, corruption remains a crucial factor in the minds of many voters. They will be aware of how ANC delegates at a conference pass a resolution calling for action against corruption, while still electing people tainted by corruption to leadership positions.

The ANC's Integrity Commission chair, Frank Chikane, says that there are some people in the party's leadership who are "not really concerned about their integrity". He has promised a much more assertive approach within the party and claims the commission's terms of reference have been changed to allow for this toughening. The mountain before him, though, may be too high to climb.

Ahead of next year's elections, it is likely that load shedding will only be joined by corruption as the top issue for SA voters. While the ANC has claimed, again and again, that it is finally, truly going to crack down on corruption, and has implemented a "step aside" resolution, it has still not dealt with the problem in a meaningful way.

The evidence of this is clear. The ANC's December conference saw Mduduzi Manana (who assaulted a woman in a parking lot), the liar Malusi Gigaba (who the Zondo Commission found received money from the Guptas) and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe (who received a gratification from Bosasa) elected to the party's top leadership.

One reason for this is that political parties find it difficult to discipline people with strong constituencies. It is impossible to...