ANC meets with stalwarts' foundations

Johannesburg - The ANC met representatives of three stalwarts' foundations on Tuesday after they asked the party’s NEC to take responsibility and implement urgent corrective action in the interests of all South Africans.

The engagement was "cordial, frank and robust" and both parties agreed that a follow-up meeting was needed, ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.

"The ANC appreciates the initiative taken by these important foundations to engage the ANC in the common quest to build a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society led by the African National Congress," he said.

The foundations expressed their concerns in a letter handed to party secretary general Gwede Mantashe at the ANC’s national executive committee meeting in Pretoria on Saturday.

Its signatories are Frene Ginwala, chairperson of the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation; Professor Njabulo Ndebele, chairperson of the board of trustees of the Nelson Mandela Foundation; and Tourism Minister and NEC member Derek Hanekom, on behalf of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation.

The three foundations expressed their concerns about the country’s political climate. They were disturbed by accounts they had received from ordinary people, students, religious leaders, the media, and civil society organisations.

The letter surfaced hours before a much-awaited ANC briefing on the outcomes of its NEC meeting, which was held at the end of week which saw claims by two senior party members that the Gupta family tried to offer them ministerial posts.

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation said it "exchanged views" with the ANC.

"We will however, not be commenting further on the discussion," it said when contacted for comment.

This article first appeared on News24 – see here.