By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) continued its journey of renewal and modernisation with the official rollout of the new membership smart card in Ward 95 (Diepsloot Branch) and Ward 79 (Ivory Park South Branch).
The party’s Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula has been engaging directly with members on the ground as they strengthen organisational systems and bring services closer to communities.
Mbalula explained that the card was the culmination of work undertaken in the ANC’s organisational renewal to address the deterioration of political quality among its members.
The SG explained all membership cards would be printed centrally and delivered to regional offices.
At an additional cost, members may also have the cards delivered to their preferred address.
Mbalula said that roughly 600,000 of the party’s 1.3 million members were in good standing and could order their new cards via the ANC member website.
The remaining 700,000 would have the opportunity to renew their membership through an online portal.
The card’s first applications will be as an additional protocol on the registration and credentials administration process in the ANC’s forthcoming biennial branch general meetings, branch general meetings, and regional and provincial conferences.
Mbalula also said that although the ANC remains committed to the Government of National Unity (GNU), it will not tolerate behavior that undermines the broader objectives of governance.
He said parties entering the GNU with individual political agendas risk destabilising the partnership.
“The ANC is not wielding an axe which we want to cut people in the GNU; they will cut themselves out and we will proceed.”
The remarks follow public criticism from DA officials about the ANC’s handling of the national budget negotiations.
The ANCs’ national working committee (NWC) is expected to meet next week to discuss the latest developments and, if necessary, make recommendations to the national executive committee (NEC).
“We, as a party, are processing some of the issues that some of the political parties have raised when we were engaging with them in talks with regards to the budget.”
“The leadership on Monday will meet and we will reflect on these developments,” Mbalula explained.
He maintained that the DA was free to exit the GNU, especially after taking legal action against the passing of the fiscal framework.
Meanwhile the ANC in the Western Cape is deploying its Dullah Omar region chairperson, Ndithini Tyhido, to lead the party in the City of Cape Town Council.
This follows the ANC’s former Cape Town Banele Majingo jumping ship to the Democratic Alliance (DA) last week, noting his values and principles are aligned with the DA.
The ANC in the province says the decision to appoint a new party caucus leader in the city council was taken at its executive committee meeting on Thursday.
ANC provincial secretary Neville Delport has described Tyhido as a selfless leader who’s always fighting for the poor.
“For 12 years, he has played a role in many issues in Khayelitsha and looking at a profile of comrade Ndithini across the city. We have decided to put him as number one, but also to give political direction to the caucus.”
Delport adds that the party is confident that the former Khayelitsha Development Forum chairperson will hit the ground running after he’s sworn in, in the coming days.