By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committe (NEC) members are gathering at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg on Thursday to discuss the way forward in coalition talks, with a possible coalition with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and other political parties.
The committee is the highest decision-making body of the ANC between national conferences and has the power to decide the course of the party.
The ANC is leaning towards a government of national unity (GNU) that includes minority parties, according to the party’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula.
Mbalula addressed members of the media on the sidelines of the Special NEC meeting.
Mbalula told the media that the party’s NEC would determine the make-up of the Cabinet, following the hotly-contested elections.
This is to discuss different options before them to constitute a coalition government two weeks from now.
The ANC has been in power for 30 years but lost its majority in the 29 May elections. It secured just over 40% of the national vote, while the main opposition, the DA, got 21.8%.
Mbalula said they were going to look into the outcomes of the elections as it did not “favour the ANC”.
“We don’t have outright majority, even in this instance, we have lower numbers,” he said.
“We have engaged with everybody and we are still talking to others, even smaller parties because we want to bring everybody on board, “he said.
He added that Ramaphosa will announce the outcomes of NEC meeting on Thursday at 18:00.
Mbalula also said Zizi Kodwa has stepped aside as a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
He said his decision to step aside is in line with a strict compliance with ANC 55 Conference Resolution on Renewal. In addition to ensure avoidance and protection the name and reputation of the organisation during the case proceedings.
He faces corruption charges in relation to allegations that he influenced the awarding of the contracts during his time as ANC spokesperson and member of the party’s national executive committee between April 2015 and February 2016.
Kodwa and his co-accused, former EOH Holdings director Jehan Mackay, turned themselves this week. This relates to bribes worth R1.6 million.
They appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday and were granted R30,000 bail.
Meanwhile the group of ANC members has expressed discontent with the party amid calls for a coalition with the DA.
“The DA has voiced its dissatisfaction with transformation in our country for the past 30 years,” said ANC member and activist Thuthukile Zuma, who is the daughter of former president Jacob Zuma.
She said the DA was opposed to every “progressive piece of legislation” in Parliament.
“Their policies are about stalling transformation in this country and just two months ago, they were burning our national flag,” she stated.
“It is not me registering discontent, but the DA has registered discontent with the transformation of this country because they stand for white interest.”
ANC member Esethu Hasane said it did not make sense for the ruling party to go into a coalition with the DA especially after it opposed economic transformation for too long.
He said the voters spoke at the polls and told the ANC that it was not doing well.
“The cry out there is that the ANC has not done well to transform the economy and to share this country’s wealth equally,” he said.
Mbalula has labelled as misplaced, a protest outside the meeting venue by some members who are opposed to a possible ANC-DA coalition.
“The protest is on the basis of disinformation. The ANC has never said that it is going into coalition with the DA. The question is: What have you achieved, and what model is good for South Africa? And when that model is agreed, will others even beyond the ANC agree to it?.