Don't give #OccupyLuthuliHouse 'hooligans' free airtime - Mantashe

5 Septembe 2016

Johannesburg - ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe urged party members, who were "defending" their headquarters from #OccupyLuthuliHouse protesters, to refrain from violence.

"Do not give them publicity, allow this to fizzle out. Do not give them airtime, they must pay for their airtime," Mantashe told supporters shortly after receiving a memorandum from the organisers of the campaign.

He was escorted by the MKMVA's Kebby Maphatsoe and ANCYL president Collen Maine. The security detail around the three made up of police and MKMVA members had to fight off ANC supporters who went to the party's headquarters in defense of their leadership.

Some members of the ANC had attempted to stop Mantashe from receiving the memorandum, claiming it would set a precedent.

Mantashe cautioned members against attempting to attack those who took a stand against the party.

"If we allow the ANC to be swallowed by certain groups - then we will have no organisation. You are depriving the ANC from hearing the simple voices by blocking these people from giving their memorandum."

Mantashe also thanked supporters for coming out to defend Luthuli House.

"You have done what you should do, you have defended your organisation, you have defended your headquarters... that is good enough," he said.

Mantashe said he did not want a situation where the media would report that there was bloodshed outside the ANC headquarters.

"Don't try to beat them... don't give hooligans free airtime comrades. I am appealing to you."

As Mantashe made his way back to the headquarters, surrounded by MKMVA members, small scuffles, pushing and shoving broke out as the group moved through the streets.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.

Use 2017 national conference to restore unity - KZN ANC

Use 2017 national conference to restore unity - KZN ANC

5 September 2016

Durban – The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal said on Sunday that the restoration of unity and values in the movement ahead of the 2017 national conference was paramount.

President Jacob Zuma was elected as president of the ANC at the 53 rd national conference in 2012. The party was expected to elect a new president at the 54 th national conference in December 2017.

Provincial chairperson Sihle Zikalala addressed a provincial executive committee lekgotla at Champagne Sports Resort at the weekend and called on the party to do a deep introspection.

Zikalala said in a statement that approaching the 2017 national conference, the party should seek to address all challenges in the movement since it came to power.

"These include the use of the state on internal issues, which [became] prevalent since the 2002 Stellenbosch Conference. Going to Polokwane, we saw the state leading the movement and the movement tailing behind the state on all issues.

"We also saw the emergence of factionalism and state politics, where the winner took all and those who are not in the winning slate will not be elected, irrespective of their standing and capabilities."

Zikalala said, while the 2007 Polokwane conference had tried to address some of the challenges, some persisted and new ones now prevailed.

"These include permanent factions which... are becoming a norm, and this cannot be accepted. This resulted in a number of experienced cadres of the organisation not elected into structures."

He said the non-acceptance of elected leaders and, in some cases, deliberate attempts to undermine them, was often used as a way to prove the leadership was failing.

This, in turn, led to the loss of leadership integrity.

Zikalala said next year’s national conference should be used to unite the party.

"We must position the ANC as the movement of the future through maintaining the principle of continuity and change, but ensure visible rejuvenation of the organisation.

"We need to consolidate the unity of the alliance and all streams of the revolution. This should include the consolidation of the role of all strata; in particular the working class, intelligentsia, women, youth and students."

Zikalala said the party also needed to ensure the advancement of the economic path the party had adopted at the 52 nd  national conference and the subsequent radical economic transformation programme it adopted at the 53 rd  national conference in Mangaung.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.