MEDIA BRIEFING OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: 27-28 SEPTEMBER, 2013

The National Executive Committee held its scheduled meeting over two days, 27-28 September, 2013 at St George Hotel, Tshwane and used the third day for mass political work in Ekurhuleni. The NEC received the Political Overview by the President, the National Working Committee report and the elections report. There was also a detailed report from the archives committee of the ANC.

The NEC congratulated President Zuma for championing the issue of Syria during the G8 meeting in Russia in which he emphasised the centrality of the United Nations in any intervention affecting any nation state. The NEC noted and welcomed the United Nations decision on the disarmament of Syria of its chemical weapons.

The meeting further congratulated President Zuma for leading the debate on the transformation of the United Nations and the Security Council in particular during the 68th United Nations General Assembly meeting last week. The ANC endorsed the sentiment that the UN Security Council needs urgent transformation as it is non-representative, unfair, undemocratic and non-responsive to the needs of the developing nations and small states.

The composition of the UN Security Council disenfranchises the majority of the memberstates of the UN, who form the majority of its General Assembly.

The following decisions were taken following the discussions in the NEC: -

The NEC condemned the dastardly and terrorist act of attacking innocent citizens in a shopping mall in Nairobi Kenya, in this regard our own Security cluster was directed by the NEC to analyse the attack and work on the security of our country in liaison with relevant institutions in the continent and the world.

This attack has highlighted the need for tighter immigration laws and processes, strengthening of the security features of the South African Identity documents and the monitoring of the movement of people in general and suspicious movements in particular. The ANC pledges its solidarity with the people of Kenya in the aftermath of this terrorist attack. The NEC further supported the work that seeks to ensure stability and peace in the horn of Africa in general and Somali in particular.

The NEC discussed the latest developments in the International Criminal Court and the proposal by the people, the government and the parliament of Kenya which lobbies the African Countries to review their membership of the ICC. There was agreement that the ICC is representing inequality before the world justice where the weak is always wrong and the strong is always right. The fact that cases get taken by individuals and even NGOs makes leaders in smaller countries and in Africa, particularly, even more vulnerable.

There is clear evidence that the ICC is used more to effect regime change in the majority of cases. The sovereignty of many African countries is undermined as is the case in Kenya when the ICC requires the President and Deputy President to be in the Hague for the duration of their case, reversing the original agreement that they will be in court at the beginning and at the end of the case.

This is tantamount to excluding the head and deputy head of the country from the governance of that country, which in effect amounts to a judicial coup. What also unnerved the NEC was that the President and Deputy President of Kenya are going to be absent during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Kenyan statehood. In view of these facts the NEC mandated the President to participate freely in the African Union debate of African countries reviewing their individual membership of the ICC, in Addis Ababa on 12th October 2013.

The NEC strongly mandated the President and the delegation not to break ranks with the continent on this matter.

In respect of the COSATU crisis the NEC endorsed the task team led by the Deputy President of the ANC and reaffirmed the principles of engagement. The NEC reaffirmed that the ANC has a revolutionary duty and responsibility to work for maximum unity of all the alliance partners.

The task team of the ANC will not undermine the team of founder leaders of COSATU but will seek to compliment the work they are doing already. In engaging the federation, the alliance partners will be encouraged to be more circumspect about the public articulation that can contribute to the deepening of the divisions. There was agreement that the ANC should not shy away from explaining principles on any matter.

On the ANCYL the NEC acknowledged the difficulties going with the work of rebuilding the structures of the ANCYL. The progress made was equally appreciated. The NEC highlighted issues that should be avoided in the execution of the work of the ANCYL. The National Officials of the ANC will hold discussions with the ANCYL National Task Team and the disbanded Provincial Executive Committees of the ANCYL of the Eastern Cape and Gauteng tomorrow, Monday 30 September, 2013.

The NEC will support the NTT in ensuring that at least three provincial conferences are held before December 2013. It was agreed that the National Conference of the ANCYL be held not later than September 2014. This is taking into account the pending national elections in the first half of 2014.

The NEC expressed satisfaction about the hard work in Tlokwe in the lead up to the last by-elections. It was re-affirmed that hard work should continue as there are still six more by-elections coming in the next month. The NEC should has expressed urgency in dealing with the allegations of corruption against the former mayor of Tlokwe.

The perception that the leadership is defending the individual should be confronted. It was further agreed that intensive political education programme should be implemented in the whole of the North West province.

The NEC received report of the induction of the Free State PEC and the Eastern Cape PECs of the ANC. In respect of the provincial reports, the NEC directed Gauteng to re-run its provincial general council as it was nullified on the grounds that it did not comply to the Constitution in that Branch General Meetings were not convened prior to the PGC thus making it unconstitutional. 

The NEC also confirmed the following new leaders of the various sub-committees were confirmed: -

• The elections sub-committee is now chaired by Comrade Malusi Gigaba and his Deputy is Comrade Thoko Didiza.
• Comrade Aaron Motsoaledi has asked to be moved from the Western Cape as the convenor of the ANC NEC Deployees. The NEC accepted the request and appointed Comrade Derek Hanekom to be the convener of the ANC NEC Deployees of the Western Cape as the convenor.
• The vacancy created by the removal of Comade Derek Hanekom from the Eastern Case has been filled by the appointment of Comrade Zizi Kodwa as the convenor of the ANC NEC Deployees Eastern Cape
• Comrade David Mahlobo will replace Comrade Malusi Gigaba as the convenor of ANC NEC Deployees in the Free State.

The NEC also received a report on elections and expressed its appreciation on election work that has been done all round. The ANC Manifesto Forums, which are being convened throughout the country, are a concrete expression of the will of the South African population in the drafting and crafting of the ANC 2014 elections manifesto.

Statement issued by Gwede Mantashe, ANC Secretary General, September 29 2013

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