By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former president Thabo Mbeki. (Supplied).
Former president Thabo Mbeki believes that more political discussions are needed to resolve factions within the African National Congress (ANC).
Mbeki spent two days meeting with members of the Western Cape interim provincial committee (IPC) as part of the governing party’s renewal and unity project.
He said the meeting identified factionalism as one of the province’s problems and agreed to “make factions irrelevant”.
“The task we have set ourselves is to strengthen the ANC so that practically it can play this role to help us achieve the changes that are required,” he said.
The ANC in the Western Cape hasn’t been able to recover lost ground, and continues to be on a downward spiral since 2009 when the Democratic Alliance (DA) snatched the province with 51.46% of the votes.
Delivering his closing remarks, Mbeki said the problems facing the party in the province were also found everywhere across the country.
Mbeki said that during the two day meeting they grappled with the question of renewal, asking themselves: What does renewal mean, what is the next step?.
“Anybody saying [for example] Thabo must become the next chair of the ANC in the province, would that be renewal? I doubt it.”
Mbeki said he had noticed that some leaders chose to stay away and not attend, adding that such an act indicated underlying grievances.
“I know a bit about this province, hence I was checking with comrades here because I looked around and didn’t see them. We will find them, they’re good comrades. They will help us carry this difficult task once we get them back,” Mbeki continued.
Mbeki’s visit to the Western Cape follows similar gatherings hosted by the ANC in the Free State.
The party has struggled to grow its support and secured just 28.64% of the vote in the provincial elections in 2019.