President Cyril Ramaphosa has given the top five leadership structure elected at the ninth ANC Free State conference marching orders to unite, revive and renew the party in the province.

“Yes, there was contestation for the top five leadership here but that has culminated with these leaders. All of us must rally behind this leadership and forget about these things of coming to conferences as divided candidates,” he said.

The president was addressing the closing session of the provincial conference at Imvelo Safari Lodge in Mangaung.

The historic conference saw Ramaphosa’s ally, Mxolisi Dukwana, emerge as provincial chairperson.

“At one stage it seemed like this conference would not happen. You have held a conference that has been successful. There were some who did not want this conference to sit but you did an amazing thing,” said Ramaphosa.

The people of Free State wanted the conference to succeed, he said.

“It has been a long and arduous road to come to this point of holding the conference and I want to congratulate the leadership you have elected and the leadership you are going to elect as additional members to the provincial executive elective.

“I am sure you are going to elect leaders who will take renewal forward because this conference is about renewal. As I said during the January 8 rally, renewal this time around is irreversible, irrevocable and the only way forward.

“That’s exactly what this conference is about. It is a conference for renewal because you have built a very good foundation to revive the ANC and wake it up in the Free State.

“Many of your branches met and that showed the beginning signs of the revival and renewal of the ANC. You are the ones who woke the ANC. This conference shows the ANC is truly standing and will be revived in the Free State.”

While three regions have yet to hold their conferences, Ramaphosa said he had no doubt they will be successful and will be able to rebuild the branches of the ANC.

“This conference is about the people of the Free State, not about you.”

Ramaphosa told delegates he had been watching members during the conference to see whether they were serious about the renewal agenda.

“You have chosen leadership which is serious about renewal. I have no doubt the confidence you have invested in them will well-placed and will take the ANC’s renewal project forward.”

He told members theconference was different to conferences recently held in the province.

“The national executive committee (NEC) declared 2023 the year of decisive action to advance our people’s interests and renew our movement, and directed all of us to renew and rebuild our movement. A strong, vibrant and united movement is crucial for us to see the success of the national democratic revolution.

 “This is the leadership and everybody must unite behind this leadership. I some voicing their dissatisfaction about delegates. They said, ‘There were supposed to be 650 delegates and in the end there were an additional seven delegates’, and for that reason they are going to court. You would go to court for seven delegates? What kind of madness is that?”

To those who may not be satisfied with the outcomes, Ramaphosa said: “ Let us accept the outcomes of this conference and move ahead. If we continue to have squabbles among us, we weaken the ANC and the people of Free State are going to walk away from us.

"This is the time we should have principled unity. We must tell ourselves t we are uniting because we want to improve the lives of our people. It must not be about us. It must be about the people of the Free State.”

“We have always said after an election that the tradition in the ANC has been that we rally behind the elected leaders, whether we like it or not, because what is important is the ANC and not us as individuals.

“Let us stop this thing of bombarding courts because we have a bigger task in the Free State to reposition the ANC so there can be progress.

“My call to all those who are delegates at this conference is accept this outcome and work with the top five.

“Leadership at all levels must be people who demonstrate they are prepared to unite the ANC.

“Your task must be to unite everyone and even reach out to those who were not walking with you to this end. Unite them and the ANC.”

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