ANC KZN STATEMENT AHEAD OF THE PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE
We meet here today during a very important period in the history of the African National Congress (ANC).
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has just concluded its successful month-long centenary programme which touched many lives. We are extremely happy that when the centenary flame travelled the length and breadth of the province, our people embraced it, a good sign that our people appreciate the role played by the ANC in the past 100 years. We are also happy that even non-ANC members also took part in our centenary activities.
During its 30-day stay in KwaZulu-Natal, the flame visited numerous places including graves and homes of fallen heroes and heroines, churches, schools and public gatherings.
The main reason of the movement of the ANC centenary flame and its route was to highlight the role played by the various communities and individuals in the struggle against colonialism and apartheid.
While it was supposed to be a celebration of hundred years of selfless struggles and sacrifices, the centenary flame - as it criss-crossed the length and breadth of KwaZulu-Natal -evoked an emotional journey for many as they recalled the blood, sweat and tears shed by comrades and ordinary South African citizens during the liberation struggle.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media before we begin to brief you about the preparations for the upcoming conference, we want to join other fellow compatriots and South Africans who have expressed their condolences following the untimely death of three ANC cadres - Cde Sicelo Shiceka, Cde Roy Padayachie and Cde Florence Nyanda.
As we stated, the aim of this gathering ladies and gentlemen is to afford you the opportunity to interact with the provincial leadership before our crucial four-day provincial elective conference which will start on this Friday on the 11th of May at Newcastle's Show Hall.
This gathering is important because it does not only give you ladies and gentlemen the opportunity to engage with us but it also allows us the opportunity to expand on what the ANC did during our term of office which ends this week.
We are pleased that the ANC goes to this important conference very united and ready to tackle political and policy issues. To show how united our movement is in this province, all 11 ANC regional elective conferences went smoothly and the newly elected leadership in these regions has been embraced by all cadres of the ANC.
All our regional conferences were characterised by robust engagements and a high level of discipline which is sacrosanct in the movement. But more importantly, the conferences focused on the critical task of speeding up and accelerating service delivery.
We also thoroughly diagnosed the challenges that the ANC-led provincial government and municipalities have to tackle.
During our provincial conference this week, we will look at political and policy issues ahead of the national policy conference in June in Johannesburg and the elective national conference in December in Mangaung. We are happy that we will go to both these conferences united.
The Mangaung conference should strive to become a watershed conference emerging with policies and programmes that will address all the challenges facing our country.
The conference should take steps to position our movement as the strategic centre of power and leader of transformation.
A united ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has made it possible for our movement to excel during elections, to implemented ANC policies properly and to engage meaningfully on issues affecting our people such as the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.
One of the issues that remain critical for our movement is the issue of discipline. Not only does ill discipline threaten the very fibre of our movement, but it is alien in the ANC. In this regard, we are happy that the ANC has taken decisive action against those who are ill discipline. Unity and discipline are sacrosanct in our organisation.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media, the ANC popularity remains uncontested. Although many people have been predicting the demise of the ANC, our organization has confounded the prophets of doom by continuing to grow in lips and bounds. The ANC is the only movement that carries hope and aspirations of our people. This is evidenced by the latest figures which shows that the total number verified ANC members is 252 637. We now control 52 of the 61 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal.
It is worth mentioning that while the support for other parties has been dwindling, the ANC support in KwaZulu-Natal has been on a steady increase in the past few years.
As we mentioned before, a united ANC has made it possible for the provincial government and ANC led municipalities to accelerate service delivery. The ANC is proud that the provincial government continues to excel in service delivery, something that has made it even exemplary to other provinces.
Solid Alliance
Here in KwaZulu-Natal we arguably have the most solid, united and vibrant Alliance that continues to robustly debate issues following internal processes of this glorious movement.
The success of the ANC-led provincial government can be attributed to a large degree the support from our alliance partners. Importantly, during this term of office all leaders of the alliance met regularly to deal with issues.
We have no doubt that we will emerge out of the provincial conference with an even stronger Alliance that will make an impact in the province and assist the Alliance nationally to be stronger ahead of the historic Mangaung conference.
Fight Against Corruption
Critically, leaders of the Alliance have worked as a collective to eradicate fraud and corruption. This is one campaign which is set to be debated thoroughly during the provincial conference. Our belief is that corruption and fraud are only morally bad but is the enemy of the revolution.
As the ANC, we encourage open debate on corruption and active participation of all citizens in order to defeat this scourge.
As part of preparing for this week's provincial conference and the policy conference in June, the ANC has engaged branches, all sectors such as Non-Government Organisations, civil societies; Community based organisations on policy discussion documents. We are happy that the ANC has reached out to all ordinary members of the community to solicit their views on ANC policy position.
One of the issues that we have thoroughly discussed is the proposal that there should be rigorous process to induct new members into the ANC practices and policies. It is proposed that the probation period should be extended to six months. During this period, all applicants should undergo compulsory political membership induction before taking the oath and being accepted as members.
We believe that this will help to ensure that all new members understand their responsibilities as ANC members.
Our conference will take place at a very critical period as we move to the third decade of freedom since 1994. The first two decades have been about liberating South Africa politically and creating a new democratic society founded on the bed rock of human dignity and equality.
The third decade will be about ensuring that all South Africans realize the dream of a better life for all.
In conclusion, we want to stress that all logistical arrangements for the conference have been finalised. We are going to have 1311 voting delegates. We have also invited academics, political parties, business people, media and the grand total of people who will attend the conference is 1789.
Members of the media are requested to collect their accreditation tags at Abor Park Recreation Centre in Newcastle on the 10th of May
The conference will start at 9 am at Newcastle's Show Hall on the 11th of May and President Jacob Zuma will deliver the keynote address.
Statement issued by Sihle Zikalala ANC KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Secretary, May 8 2012
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