Josiah Gumede is succeeded by Pixley ka Isaka Seme as ANC president

In January 1912, Pixley Seme, Alfred Mangena, Richard Msimang and George Montsio called for a convention of Africans to form the South African Native National Congress (SANNC). This organisation was renamed the African National Congress (ANC) in 1923, in Bloemfontein. One hundred delegates attended its inaugural meeting, where Seme was the keynote speaker, and Josiah Gumede one of the founding members. At Seme's suggestion, the new organization was patterned after the United States Congress. Reverend John Langalibalele Dube was elected as its first president (in absentia), and Seme became the Treasurer-General. Years later, in July 1927, Josiah Gumede was elected as president-general of the ANC during its annual congress, despite ANC criticism of the pro-communist tendencies that often surfaced in Gumede's public rhetoric at that stage. Gumede's three-year term as president-general of the ANC was characterised by dispute and dissension. However, it did introduce new strains of radical thought into the ANC, and a more military stance. This was an unhappy chapter in the history of the organisation, and activities virtually came to a halt. Moreover, antipathy towards Gumede's fraternity with communism, and his neglect in circulating information increased sharply. This came to a head when the anti-communist faction of the national executive committee of the ANC took a majority decision to resign en bloc, and T. Mapikela took over as acting president-general. At the annual ANC conference on 30 April 1930, Pixley Seme succeeded Gumede as president general, by a vote of 39 to 14. This ended Gumede's role as prominent figure in South African politics. In recognition of his earlier services to the ANC he was, however, appointed as lifelong honorary president of the organisation. Seme's attempts to transform the ANC into an organization of economic self-help proved fruitless, as did his attempt to revive the defunct House of Chiefs in the ANC. Both his enemies and supporters accused him of 'culpable inertia' in 1932, and criticized his autocratic and cautious leadership style. Reverend R. Mahabane replaced him as President-General in 1937. List of President-General's of the ANC from 1912-1991: References: President-General of the African National Congress (ANC) [online], available at: historicalpapers.wits.ac.za [accessed 21 April 2009] Gumede, W.M. (2005), Thabo Mbeki and the battle for the soul of the ANC, Published by Zebra, pg 10. Pixley Seme [online], available at: sahistory.org.za [accessed 21 April 2009] Josiah Gumede [online], available at: sahistory.org.za [accessed 21 April 2009]