ANC STATEMENT ON THE OUTCOMES OF THE NATIONAL WORKING COMMITTEE OF THE ANC HELD ON 28 JUNE 2021

The National Working Committee met virtually on 28 June 2021 in its regular two-weekly session, as the body responsible for conducting cu rrent work of the ANC and implementing decisions of the NEC.

Working together, we will weather this COVID-19 storm

The NWC observed a minute of silence for the many South Africans who have lost their lives to COVID-19.

Our country is in the midst of the third wave of COVID-19 infections and the numbers of sick and hospitalised are rising alarmingly_ Tragically, we are also seeing an increase in the number of deaths due to COVID-19,

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday that the whole country has been placed on adjusted Alert Level 4 until Sunday. 11 July 2021. The NWC calls on all ANC cadres and every person in our country to comply with COVID regulations and work together to contain the spread of infections and save lives.

This third wave is being driven by the Delta variant, which was first identified in India.

This variant is more contagious, and can infect many more people, faster than any other known variant. We therefore call on everyone to be more vigilant and exercise every possible caution to protect themselves and others.

ANC leaders and members must be exemplary and show leadership by following all the public health measures. These measures save lives.

Let us all continue to wear our masks when we leave our homes, maintain social distance from others in public places and wash or sanitise our hands regularly.

Because we know this variant is very contagious, we must avoid visiting friends, family members and neighbours, We have suspended all political, social and religious gatherings for two weeks. We are doing this because we do not want people to spread the virus to friends, family and comrades. We have also restricted travel into and out of Gauteng because the province currently accounts for the bulk of national infections and the virus is spread by the movement of people. The virus moves when we move. So, for these two weeks let us all remain at home as much as possible.

The ANC welcomes the progress being made in vaccinating health care workers, those in the basic education sector and people over 60 years old. The ANC urges our government to speed up the vaccination programme. The faster we vaccinate people, the faster we can return to some semblance of regular activity

In this regard we welcome the fact that vaccination of police and other security personnel will start on the 5th of July and those between 50 and 59 years of age on the 15th of July.

Workplace vaccination programmes in industries such mining, manufacturing and the taxi industry will also be commencing in the near future.

We urge our structures to ensure they have information on local vaccination campaigns so they can help to make accurate and credible information available to communities.

ANC branches must encourage those over the age of 50 to register to receive their jabs as from 1 July.

The NWC was clear in its view that misinformation and conspiracy theories about vaccines endanger the lives of our people. These vaccines work; they save lives. It is the revolutionary duty of every cadre to arm themselves with accurate and credible information and dispel all myths about the vaccines. Where you encounter misinformation, we urge you to share the accurate facts.

The NWC condemned in the strongest terms demonstrations which took place in defiance of COVID mutation last week. We believe that the organisers of these events are highly irresponsible in deliberately risking the lives of vulnerable members of society for opportunistic political purposes.

The NWC re-iterated its view that the COVID-19 pandemic and the current third wave of infections must not be taken lightly. It consequences are already severe and they will be made worse by irresponsible behaviour by those who purport to lead communities.

All of us know people who have been sick and many of us have friends and relatives and loved ones who have passed on No responsible leader should deliberately provoke further suffering by families and communities.

We call on all South Africans, once more, to show the strength and resilience we are known for South Africans have been through a tough and, at times, overwhelming period since March 2020, but we shall overcome.

Working together, we will weather this storm.

ANC renewal process difficult but we must stay the course

The NWC commended the detailed reports received on organisational work being done under difficult conditions, giving effect to the clarion call by the 54th National Conference for organisational unity and renewal.

The NWC recognised and commended the fact that, cumulatively, the implementation of the new ANC membership system: the establishment of an ANC Electoral Committee to oversee the selection of candidates and internal ANC leadership elections; its internal dispute resolution machinery; as well as the work of the ANC Integrity Commission are consolidating the renewal of the ANC and making it a more effective instrument of liberation in the hands of the People.

The NWC noted that over the last three months in virtually every single of the more than 4,200 wards in South Africa, ANC members have gathered to elect their new Branch Executive Committees and to nominate candidates for local government elections.

The candidate selection branch general meetings are followed by community meetings to present the ANC candidates, allowing for further community nominations and finally a community primary vote. We are humbled by the enthusiastic participation of communities in these processes. evidence of their determination to get the best candidates for the lob. All ANC candidates will still undergo further screening and vetting procedures following these nominations.

All these processes are robust and vibrant, and an expression of the mass and participatory character of the ANC, as well as its commitment to internal democracy. In this context, the NWC expressed its harshest condemnation for the isolated. yet extremely serious, incidents of violence and loss of life at ANC branch and candidate selection meetings. The NWC particularly condemned the use of violence, intimidation and threats to prevent the full participation of women in ANC processes. and reminded all ANC members that the principles of non-sexism and gender equality are sacrosanct.

The NWC called for these incidents to be investigated speedily and comprehensively by law enforcement agencies and for ANC provincial structures to investigate and take decisive organisational and disciplinary action,

The NWC through the Secretary General's Office has requested updates from provinces on the implementation of the NEC Step-Aside Regulations, mindful that we must ensure consistent applications of the regulations, without fear or favour. The NWC reiterated the position of the regulations, that any member charged in a court of law of corruption or other serious crimes must step aside and a member accused of corruption or other abuses in other formal processes must present themselves to the Integrity Commission.

The NWC urged all Umkhonto we Sizwe veterans to recommit to the unity of MK veterans, as we prepare for the 60th anniversary of the founding of our people's army on 16 December 2021. The preparatory committees for the MK Unity Conference, as well as for the 60th anniversary have started their work, and will report to the NWC and NEC.

Honouring the legacy of President Kenneth Kaunda

Since the tragic news of the passing of President Kenneth Kaunda, who played such a pivotal role in the liberation of South Africa. ANC structures across the country are conducting memorial services and lectures to honour the memory of this great Pan African. The ANC will host a national memorial service in honour of President Kaunda on 5 July 2021, ahead of his burial on 7 July 2021.

Local Government Elections

The NWC acknowledged the fact that the Level 4 restrictions on gatherings will have an impact on the local government elections. It welcomes the decision by the Electoral Court to grant the IEC a 120 postponement of the *elections that were scheduled for Wednesday. 30 June 2021.

The process chaired by for Deputy Chief Justice Moseneke will hold public hearings on the broader impact of COVID-19 on the elections scheduled for 27 October 2021. The ANC will make its submission on the matter, with a delegation led by Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte later this week.

Section 25 of the Constitution

On 26 June 2021. on the occasion of the 66th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter, the ANC hosted a webinar that looked at the clause in the Charter — 'The land shall be shared by those who work if. With participation from experts and ANC provincial structures, the occasion was used to reflect on the last 27 years of land reform, the current national debate on the amendment to Section 25 of the Constitution, the Expropriation Bill, and how as a country we can accelerate land reform, security of tenure for farm workers. and address the historical injustice as required by the Constitution of the Republic.

The NWC also received an update from the Section 25 committee led by Dr Mathews Phosa, and remains seized with the parliamentary process on this critical matter of national importance.

Building the Africa we Want

The NWC was briefed on ongoing work to build the Africa we want. in line with the African Union Agenda 2063. This includes work being done by President Ramaphosa, in his capacity as the AU Champion on COVID-19, to ensure that the continent has timely access to sufficient vaccines and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area through intra-Africa trade, infrastructure development that connects the continent and Industrialization,

The NWC acknowledged that central to building an integrated and prosperous continent is the need to silence the guns and promote peace and security.

The NWC supports the initiatives by the recent SADC Extraordinary Summit to assist Mozambique to address the challenges faced in the Cabo Delgado province, and towards finding a lasting political solution.

The NWC furthermore noted the protests and demonstrations in Eswatini, and as a neighbour stands ready to contribute to finding a tasting solution to the grievances and the expression of the will of the people.

The NWC also discussed the challenges faced by Ethiopia and its Tigray region. It noted the resolution of the AU Commission on Peoples and Human Rights to conduct an independent investigation into allegations of human rights abuses, in line with the African Charter on Peoples and Human Rights, as well as the response of the Ethiopian government to this.

The NWC further acknowledged the preliminary statement by the African Union Elections Observation Mission on the 21 June elections in the country, which highlighted that these elections took place in the °context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing conflicts in the Tigray region, regional state border disputes, the international border dispute with Sudan and the dispute over the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), All these contribute to heightened political and security concerns in the country."

It is in this context that the ANC welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire that will, among other things, allow for humanitarian aid to reach the populations, for the withdrawal of Eritrean troops and for national dialogue to peacefully resolve the conflict and the challenges facing this great nation and friend of South Africa.

In all of these processes to build a peaceful and prosperous continent, we must utilise African institutions so that we ensure African solutions to African problems.

Upcoming NEC 3-5 July 2021 to prepare for the Alliance Summit

The NWC approved the agenda for the meeting of the National Executive Committee this weekend, which will focus on preparations for the Alliance Summit in July 2021. The main issues are a discussion on the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, local government and the reconfiguration of the Alliance.

Statement issued by the African National Congress Deputy Secretary General Comrade Jessie Duarte on behalf of the National Working Committee, 30 June 2021