ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, CDE. CYRIL RAMAPHOSA AT THE 13TH MPUMALANGA PROVINCIAL CONGRESS WITBANK DAM, EMALAHLENI
Convenor of the ANC National Executive Committee, Cde. Gwen Ramokgopa,
Members of the National Executive Committee of the ANC
Provincial Chairperson, Cde. Mandla Ndlovu
Members of the Provincial Executive Committee,
Representatives of our glorious Alliance, COSATU and the SACP
Representatives of SANCO
Leadership of the ANC Women's League and ANC Youth League in the province,
Delegates,
Comrades,
Let me begin by congratulating the structures of the ANC in Mpumalanga for convening this conference that has been a resounding success.
We know it has not been without its challenges. But ultimately we have met the high standards expected of a provincial conference such as this one, and pulled together in an organised and politically mature manner.
Structures were re-established and the alignment of branches has been successful, with approximately 114 branches properly integrated.
The convening of the conference is therefore a significant milestone.
This is the year of conferences for our movement as we head towards National Conference in December.
When I addressed comrades at the 17th National Congress of the National Union of Mineworkers earlier this week, I threw down the gauntlet.
I said the gold standard must be conferences that have successful outcomes, that are violence-free, and that are corruption-free.
I said they must be conferences that adhere to revolutionary discipline, and uphold the finest traditions of our movement and the ANC Constitution.
So well done, Comrades. You have set the bar high, and it is my wish that over the following eight months we see the same high standards across our structures heading to National Conference.
I wish to congratulate the incoming leadership.
decisions. It is up to you now to assume the mantle of leadership and cadreship, and take forward our programme of action as spelled out in the January 8th statement of 2022.
None of us need reminding that you are coming in at a critical time for the province, for our movement, and for our country.
Our foremost task as the ANC is to be at the forefront of our economic reconstruction and recovery through reducing unemployment, eliminating poverty and hunger, and increasing investment and economic growth.
Comrades, I want to repeat myself. South Africa's economic reconstruction and recovery is our foremost task. It is the task that matters above all others.
It is us, the ANC, who are tasked with the responsibility of leading the process of reconstruction and development, aimed at eradicating the problems of poverty and inequality created by apartheid, and creating a just and equitable economic and social order. These are the words of the ANC Constitution.
The State of the Province address on the 25th of February gave us a clear indication of the provincial government's bold and ambitious plans for Mpumalanga for this year and beyond.
We are greatly encouraged by the plans for investment promotion in tourism, in network industries, in social infrastructure, in agriculture, in agro-processing, in mining and manufacturing, to name but a few.
We congratulate the government of the province for the hugely significant step it has taken to establish a Just Transition and Climate Change Working Group to address the impact of the country's low-carbon, climate change resilient path on affected communities here in the heartland of the coal industry.
The job-creation efforts that will be driven by local economic development strategies across the 20 municipalities are broad in scope and equally ambitious.
We are particularly excited by the plans for the rollout of the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone and the Petrochemical Industrial Technology Park in Govan Mbeki Municipality; and at plans to support small businesses and the informal economy.
We want to see the provincial government's plans for infrastructure upgrades also realised this year, such as schools and water and sanitation projects. We want to see existing municipal initiatives, learnerships, the Expanded Public Works Programme, the Presidential Employment Stimulus and others resulting in more work opportunities for our people, especially young people.
We want to see poverty eradication, social relief and food security programmes scaled up, and the province's land reform programme accelerated.
We want to see more residents of this province getting vaccinated against COVID-19, so our lives and our economy can bounce back.
We want to see real and tangible progress towards overcoming not just poverty and unemployment, but the many social ills affecting our communities like crime and gender-based violence.
This is just some of the work that has to be done here in Mpumalanga. It is us, the ANC, who lead this province.
It is us, the ANC, who have the responsibility of improving our people's lives. It is not a responsibility we can outsource, or put on the back burner as we resolve our internal issues.
Given the scale of the task, and the amount of work that needs to be done, we need three things.
The first is a razor-sharp focus on the task at hand, free of all distractions that take our eyes of the ball.
We all know what these distractions are. They are infighting and internal squabbles, factionalism, and contestations that are rooted in battles over access to power and resources.
The second, to drive reconstruction and recovery to create jobs and promote growth, we need nothing less than a capable, strong and united ANC. In Mpumalanga, in Limpopo, in Gauteng, in the Eastern Cape, in the Western Cape, and across the country.
The third, the most important of all, is we need the trust and confidence of the people. Comrades,
Last month the ANC's offices in Mbombela were set alight by a disgruntled comrade. I do not wish to dwell on the circumstances. But that it is a metaphor for the state of affairs of the ANC is not lost on me.
The house is on fire. Not just the roof or the walls, the entire house.
Last year's local government election results are just one of the indicators that our movement is in trouble.
The poor state of our ANC-run municipalities, the widespread prevalence of corruption in our ranks, these are just some of the deeply troubling signposts.
Even this incident of the offices being set alight pales in comparison to others that have befallen us in recent years.
Our own members are taking the ANC to court with increasing regularity, to railroad various regional conferences.
We have seen scuffles and even shootings at branch meetings.
Some of the events leading to this conference itself were characterized by violence. There has been slow consequence management in some of these incidents, with the impression then given that ill-discipline has been normalized in our movement.
In other parts of the country we have seen ANC councillors attacked and even killed as a result of both rivalries between political parties, and within our party itself.
I ask you comrades, what message are we sending to the South African people who have entrusted us to lead them?
It sends the message that we are too preoccupied with putting out our own internal fires to attend to the urgent programme of fixing this country and improving the life of its people.
We see discontent in service delivery protests, many of which turn violent.
We saw it last year in local government elections where voter turnout was the lowest of any election in our post-democratic history.
Never has the ANC been more in need of the urgent programme of renewal that we have embarked upon.
Never has it been more urgent that we regain the trust and confidence of the South African people because Comrades, I repeat, the house is on fire.
And if the local government elections are a barometer of things to come, the national elections in 2024 will yield similar, if not worse results for us as the ANC.
Therefore, our call for our structures to analyse the election results and develop clear programmes should be heeded. In this respect the newly elected PEC has its work cut-out for it.
At the same time, comrades, we are still a strong ANC.
We govern the majority of this country's municipalities. We are the governing party of the country.
In our ranks are many capable and committed cadres who are leading with distinction, with diligence, with principle and with revolutionary morality.
The country's majority continue to have faith in the ANC as an agent of change, because we are a party with a solid track-record of improving their lives.
They still have faith that the ANC is advancing the building of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, prosperous and free South Africa.
This conference, in the Commissions, has had spirited and enriching discussion on the national priorities and also on the ever-critical issue of Organizational Renewal.
Our Organizational Renewal document clearly articulates our challenges, and the steps we need to take as a movement to regain our stature as the leader of society.
The NEC has adopted the proposal of a Renewal Commission whose tasks includes reshaping our movement into the future.
Much of our renewal tasks include dealing with reform of our internal processes.
We have adopted a new membership system to eliminate the possibility of manipulation, particularly of delegates to conferences.
The selection and election of councillors has been enhanced to ensure that citizens participate in the process. As this process is further refined, it will continue to assert the mass character of the ANC. The process of selecting candidates for Premiers as well as Mayoral and Speaker candidates is also being refined.
These are just some of the concrete steps we are taking.
The trap we must not fall into is that of postulating, intellectualising and endlessly fixating on challenges, and not giving equal attention to the roadmap for resolving them.
The ANC's Through the Eye of the Needle document, first published in 2001, speaks of the ANC as a movement that organises and leads the people in the task of social transformation.
It speaks of the ANC as a movement that mobilises the people to take active part in changing their lives for the better. It speaks of the ANC as a movement that pursues economic growth, development and redistribution to improve the people's quality of life.
I want to call on the new leadership but also the branches of this province to do what I said earlier.
To remain focused and free from distractions; to drive the ANC-led government's programme of economic reconstruction and recovery in our branches and across all structures.
We call on you, especially our branches, to regain the trust and confidence of the people. Comrades,
Throughout its history the ANC has shown itself capable of self-correction, and this era in the life of our movement will prove to be the same.
We are building stronger brandies that are well-run and connected to the communities iri which they are located.
We are consolidating our internal processes to build a better-run organisation, and this conference is evidence of that.
We are ridding ourselves of self-serving individuals who want an ANC that serves their interests.
The January 8 statement of the NEC asserted that revolutionary discipline is non-negotiable. The NEC has gone further by reconstituting disciplinary committees.
Renewal of the ANC should be premised on leadership that is resolute in taking action against anyone acting at variance with the Constitution, principles and values of the organisation.
The National Conference has pronounced clearly on how we should manage issues relating to corruption, and dealing with leaders who have been charged with serious offences. ANC members and delegates at other conferences should act in concert with the dictates of the centre, which is the National Conference and the NEC. The step-aside rule must apply.
We are also more united as an organization and as the Alliance.
So let us not underplay the progress we are making, as the Through the Eye of the Needle document warned against back in 2001.
At the same time, let us never underestimate the challenges we are still facing. Comrades,
What I have done is spell out the line of march for the coming year, for the road to National Conference in December, and for the national elections in two years' time.
Now is the time to focus, to consolidate, to plan, and to work hard. We have favourable winds.
The economy is showing optimistic signs of recovery. Thanks to this ANC-led government's management of the pandemic, we will soon be ending the National State of Disaster.
The steps that are needed to renew our movement so it lives up to this title must guide all our efforts. As the ANC in Mpumalanga, and across the country.
Let us work as a united ANC to create jobs and grow our economy. Again, it is our foremost task.
The ANC is the leader of society, so let us lead, with the revolutionary consciousness and morality that is befitting members of our glorious movement.
Let us go out and restore the trust of the people.
Let us take forward the gains of the national democratic revolution.
Let us improve our people's lives above all. I thank you.
Issued by the ANC, 3 April 2022
