ANC in Gauteng calls for national consultative conference

The ANC in Gauteng has called for a broad ANC-led special national consultative conference to access the state of the nation and agree on the necessary interventions to pursue the objectives of the socalled National Democratic Revolution.

Such a conference should also assess the state of the ANC‚ the alliance and broad democratic forces and agree on the necessary interventions to unite‚ rebuild and renew the ANC‚ alliance and the broad democratic movement‚ it said.

The provincial leadership of the party was speaking after an extended provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting held in Johannesburg on Friday and Saturday to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the outcome of the 2016 Local Government Elections and to develop an appropriate organisational response.

The meeting‚ which was also attended by ANC Regional Office Bearers‚ MKMVA Provincial Office Bearers‚ Provincial Working Committees of the ANCWL‚ ANCYL‚ ANC Veterans’ League and the Alliance Provincial Office Bearers‚ was characterised by frank and robust discussions‚ it said.

ANC Gauteng Provincial Secretary Hope Mankwana Papo said the meeting had adopted important decisions on how to rebuild the ANC into an effective leader of society that “can unite the people of our country around the agenda for radical social and economic transformation”.

“The most important decision taken by the Extended PEC meeting unanimously is the call for a broad ANC-led Special National Consultative Conference attended by the Alliance as well as different formations and sectors of the democratic movement who are committed to thoroughgoing transformation‚” he said.

The meeting had further agreed that the broad Special National Consultative Conference should be preceded by extensive consultations with the alliance‚ all veterans and different sectors of society in the communities across the province‚ including religious leaders.

“In the coming weeks‚ the PEC will be meeting with all the Regions‚ Branches‚ Alliance structures and sectoral organisations to discuss the decisions of the Extended PEC meeting‚” Papo said.

He said the extended PEC had further decided to strongly discourage all members of the ANC in Gauteng Province from participating in the campaign to occupy the ANC Headquarters on Monday.

“The PEC believes the challenges facing the ANC can only be resolved through proper and structured organisational processes such as the Special National Consultative Conference that we are calling for. All ANC members should therefore remain disciplined and participate in these processes.”

The PEC also raised concerns about different government ministers and state-owned enterprises that have been engaging in public spats and contradictory public statements that undermine policy coherence in government and cause damage to the economy.

“We support the intervention of the ANC national leadership to stop these public spats‚” Papo said. “The ANC government cannot be a government at war with itself. The ANC national leadership at Luthuli House should enforce discipline among all cadres deployed in government.”