ANC NEC affirms support for Zuma, rejected secret ballot proposal

29 November 2016

Johannesburg - The national executive committee of the ANC did not support calls for the president to step down says the party following a marathon NEC meeting in Pretoria over the weekend.

"We affirm him as the president of the party and the country," ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe told journalists during a media briefing on the outcomes of the NEC.

This was the party's final scheduled gathering for 2016.

It is understood a motion of no confidence was placed on the table by Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom on Saturday.

A proposal for a secret ballot was also suggested but Mantashe and his deputy Jessie Duarte said that this was not how things work within the party.

"All members of the NEC had an opportunity to raise, in the meeting, the issues they feel that are hurting the movement," said Mantashe.

He said the 80-plus members of the NEC were allowed to speak freely on the matter, whether speaking against or for the president to remain in his position.

The ANC secretary general said the national democratic revolution was also discussed with concerns being raised over threats to it being identified once more.

"The revolution is facing serious threats from racism, ethnic nationalism and monopoly capital," he said.

These are some of the issues the party was hoping to address when it holds its policy conference in June 2017.

Mantashe said a consultative conference would form part of the gathering with the first two days being dedicated to introspection and self correction.

"The first two days of the conference will be utilised to assess the state of the organisation as envisaged in the veteran's call," said Mantashe.

Earlier Zizi Kodwa also hit out at journalists for some of the reports which surfaced over the weekend, claiming some were fabrications.

Some of the reports on the sitting described how two members of Cabinet almost came to blows over the matter, while some said voting had taken place with most opting to keep Zuma on as President.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.