STATEMENT OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS FOLLOWING THE MEETING OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HELD ON THE 27TH – 28TH NOVEMBER 2015
The National Executive Committee of the African National Congress held its last scheduled NEC meeting for the 2015 calendar year on the 27th and 28th November 2015 at the St. Georges Hotel in Tshwane. The meeting received a Political Overview from the President of the ANC, and the following reports:
• Framework of the January 8 NEC Statement
• A presentation on the funding of the Post School Education and Training Sector
• An update on the National Health Insurance
• A report on Labour Relations and Wage Inequality with specific focus on the process towards the introduction of a National Minimum Wage
• Mitigation measures being introduced to deal with the current drought conditions in large parts of South Africa
• A briefing on Elections Work; and the
• Report of the NWC to the NEC
The NEC was unanimous on the need for urgent and far-reaching steps to accelerate the implementation of the resolution on radical socio-economic transformation. The NEC was unequivocal on the need for less talk and more action - our people must enjoy the material fruits of freedom. Government is expected to decisively address the challenges of unemployment, inequality and poverty and to deracialise our economy.
The focus is now on developing measures to restructure the economy
The NEC further confirmed that the NGC was a resounding success. The resolutions are being developed into a concrete programme that will guide the organisation into action. The ANC and the government must communicate the work they are doing and provide our people with information. Face-to-face engagement should be improved to ensure that our people are not wholly dependent on the media for information. Amongst the key resolutions of the NGC was for the leadership structures of the ANC to restore order and stability within our ranks. To this end, the organisation should continue engaging in the fight against negative tendencies like factionalism, ill-discipline and gate-keeping.
The NEC dedicated a lot of time to discussing the state of higher education in the country as both the political overview and the NWC report paid specific focus on the subject. These two reports were complimented by the detailed report on the funding of post school education and training. While the objective is clear, the funding and allocation of resources was lagging behind. The NEC further acknowledged that the commitment to finding the money to fund the no fee increase in 2016 was a correct and reasonable one.