Former MK senior commanders and commissars have added their voices to the growing chorus of ANC structures speaking out about the “crisis” in the organisation‚ saying the ruling party needs self-introspection in order to remain relevant.

This comes as more than 20 former MK senior commanders and commissars held a media briefing on Monday‚ at which they announced that the group will be convening a council of former MK members on December 17.

“The purpose of the gathering is to bring former members of MK to assist with key challenges facing the ANC and our country. We are going to be dealing with our concerns about MKMVA‚ the ANC and the ANC’s veterans league‚” said General Siphiwe Nyanda.

Nyanda said they have formed a national steering committee representing all nine provinces where they intend convening a National Emergency General Council of all genuine former MK operatives from detachments‚ units and platoons that operated from southern African frontline states during the armed struggle.

Their gathering comes as ANC veterans want a separate national consultative conference to be held in March‚ instead of in June‚ as part of the party’s policy conference.

More than 100 veterans were expected to push for this when they met with ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe and his deputy‚ Jessie Duarte‚ on Monday‚ at the party’s headquarters.

The veterans held talks to discuss the outcome of the ANC’s national executive committee meeting held last weekend. The NEC resolved to set aside two days of the policy conference to look at “organisational renewal“.

Two weeks ago‚ President Jacob Zuma lambasted the veterans at a rally in Pietermaritzburg‚ KwaZulu-Natal‚ where he said many of them unduly expressed criticism of the ANC despite not belonging to any party structures.