By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) outlined the outcomes of its weekend National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the Birchwood Hotel, East of Johannesburg.
The party’s highest-decision making body in between conferences, spent three days at the weekend discussing strategies to end power cuts, grow the struggling economy, improve service delivery, combat crime and corruption, and enhance border security.
ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula addressed the media following the party’s three-day national executive committee meeting held at the weekend.
Mbalula said the NEC reflected on the party’s achievements in the past year and renewed its commitment to address challenges faced by South Africans.
“A straightforward and irrefutable fact emerged from the 2022 Census by StatsSA: life in South Africa is considerably better today than in 1994 or 2019. This is despite the challenges that we have faced as a country.”
“The NEC noted that while a lot is being done contributing to the economic recovery, communicating these strides to the masses of our people is essential to dispel the propaganda suggesting the ANC has done nothing, which flies against the scientific evidence [from] the Census 2022 Report, Mbalula said.
The NEC expressed concern over the escalating conflict between Palestine and Israel, resulting in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians in both countries.
“The ANC re-asserts its stance on a peaceful resolution of this conflict between Israel and Palestine while expressing our solidarity with Palestine for their liberation from conditions that have been characterised similarly to our own historical experience of oppression.”
Mbalula said the NEC had adopted a solidarity programme in support of Palestine, which includes a march and demand on the international criminal court to investigate Israel for crimes against humanity.
“The NEC also wants to meet with the Jewish Board of Deputies to discuss the conflict. They want a special meeting of the AU Security Council and want a peace mission to Palestine.”
The Jewish Board has accused minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor for choosing a side in the war.
“The Hamas Charter has, as its fundamental principle, the destruction of Jews and the Jewish State. According to Hamas, Minister Pandor expressed support for its surprise attack on Israel in which Hamas targeted civilians and took hostages.
“She has engaged with an Islamist Jihadist Organisation and, in so doing, has dragged our country into very dangerous waters.”
In a commitment to organisational renewal, Mbalula said they would continue engaging all veterans, including former presidents of the country.
“The work of the Integrity Commission is at the top of the agenda of the ANC. In this regard, the ANC will dedicate a special NEC to focus solely on the work of the Integrity Committee.”
“As part of the renewal of the organisation, the ANC has set thorough and stringent criteria for the selection of candidates to parliament and legislatures. We are pleased with our progress to date, wherein 67% of our branches have met the required threshold for nominating candidates. This process is ongoing, “Mbalula said.
Mbalula added that the NEC took stock of the current state of SOEs, particularly Eskom and Transnet, and directed its deployees in government to stabilise the entities as a matter of urgency.
Eskom lost board chairperson in the form of Mpho Makwana last week, who called it quits after Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan’s political interference.
The state-owned enterprise has been without a full-time chief executive for more than seven months, following Andre De Ruyter’s resignation in December last year, with a lack of political support being among the reasons he left.
Incessant power outages implemented by Eskom and Transnet’s inability to run rail operations at capacity impairs mineral exports and has roiled the $406 billion economy.
Mbalula said the January 8th statement will be delivered in Mpumalanga.
“Following that, the Mayihlome Rally is scheduled to be held at KZN’s Moses Mabhida Stadium, and the Siyanqoba Rally will take place in Gauteng at the FNB Stadium,” Mbalula said.
Watch Live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of MYANC.