ANC NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE STATEMENT
The ANC National Executive Committee held its first NEC meeting this year over four days from the 2nd - 5th February 2012 at the Saint George Hotel in Tshwane. Given the fact that this was our first meeting and the fact that this will be the busiest year in the political calendar of the ANC, we addressed a number of crucial issues.
These ranged from the political overview of the President, assessment of the centenary celebrations, progress report on the past July Lekgotla, preparations for the national policy conference as well as the national elective conference. The meeting also considered discussion documents for the policy conference and also discussed the building of a capable state and building a vibrant ANC.
Arising out of the President's overview the NEC agreed that the renewal of the ANC was an urgent task and that political education must be stepped up. The meeting agreed that the ANC led government must redouble its effort to create jobs and reduce poverty.
It was also agreed that there is a need to put emphasis in the implementation of our policies. The President in his overview thanked the leaders and members of the ANC for having ensured that as we celebrate the hundred years we do so having achieved the 1 million membership target.
Comrade Nkosazana Zuma-Dlamini was congratulated by the NEC for a formidable showing in contesting the position of the Chairpersonship of the AU Commission, during the African Union Summit in Adis-Ababa. The NEC is of the view that South Africa should strive to impact positively on the politics of the continent and the AU. A coherent plan will be developed on the approach to the July AU Summit.
The meeting also congratulated the National Chairperson of the ANC Comrade Baleka Mbete for her unanimous appointment by the AU into the panel of the eminent persons tasked with the African Peer Review Mechanism.
Centenary celebration
The meeting acknowledged that Mangaung centenary celebrations, was a resounding success. The meeting acknowledged the positive response with which the people of South Africa responded to our centenary celebrations. The meeting also acknowledged and appreciated the presence and messages received from visiting Heads of State, the former anti-apartheid movements, former liberation movements and other categories of visiting dignitaries.
The positive response by South African opposition parties was equally acknowledged. The meeting used the opportunity to thank all categories of participants in the January events including the artists, volunteers, faith based organisations, traditional healers and traditional leaders.
Sponsors of celebration events were acknowledged and thanked. The ANC after discussing the challenges that arose in the logistics section has decided to build and
strengthen its marshals structures, its protocol structures as well as its accreditation and registration mechanisms.
The meeting also considered progress made with regards to the ANC Heritage Institute, a legacy project of our 100 years of existence. The NEC endorsed the Project Management Team of the ANC Heritage Institute. Comrade Naledi Pandor was appointed by the NEC as the Political Head of the Heritage Institute and Comrade Pallo Jordan as her Deputy.
The NEC meeting received a presentation on the National Development Plan. This was discussed and approved as a necessary guide to ensure that the country has a clear plan and vision that will address the social and economic challenges facing our country. The National Development Plan was adopted as a framework for national planning. The infrastructure draft plan was tabled and debated.
Reports on the past July lekgotla were presented and considered by the meeting. It was agreed that sufficient progress has been made in almost all the areas that were identified as key to job creation, economic development and poverty eradication. The NEC agreed that non-the-less there is still a lot that needs to be done.
With regards to the National Policy Conference, the meeting agreed that the policy conference will take place on the 26th-29th June 2012 at Gallagher Estate. The meeting agreed that the policy conference is part of the preparations for the 53rd National Conference which will take place on the 16th-20th December 2012 in Mangaung.
The National Coordinating Committee under the Chairpersonship of the Secretary General, Comrade Gwede Mantashe was also approved by the NEC. The NCC will be responsible for the preparations of both the policy conference and the elective conference. The Convenors of the various functional areas of the NCC are:
Deputy Secretary General, Thandi Modise
Treasurer General, Matthew Phosa
National Spokesperson, Jackson Mthembu
National Head of Policy, Jeff Radebe
NEC Member, Sphiwe Nyanda
NEC Member, Lindiwe Zulu
The NEC has agreed to convene a special NEC meeting urgently to finalise the discussion documents for the policy conference in June, including our strategic outlook into the next century.
The meeting agreed that the planned Socialist International Conference requires more planning and the date for its holding will be confirmed in the next meeting of the NEC.
On the issue of the political school of the ANC, the NEC meeting agreed that with the farm having been bought, the process of building the school must resume in a phased approach. NEC agreed that members of the ANC and supporters will be asked to contribute towards the building of the school. Details of the bank account will be circulated to all structures of the ANC. The NEC also agreed that the programme of political education should be started immediately and not await the construction of the physical school.
The Limpopo Provincial Conference was endorsed by the ANC and it was agreed that disputes received from branches of the ANC will be investigated and a report tabled once the investigation is completed.
The NEC received a number of presentations of draft policy documents that will be circulated to ANC branches for discussions in preparation for the national policy conference.
The following NEC Sub-committees presented: Legislation and Governance, Political Education, Social Transformation, Economic Transformation, SOEs and DFIs, Education and Health, Infrastructure Development, Media and Communication and International Relations and Commission on Religious and Traditional Affairs.
The NEC has taken a firm decision to improve and strengthen our communication capacity and ability at all levels of government so as to put us in good stead to communicate our achievements.
The NEC has ushered in a discussions on the building of a vibrant ANC with effective structures and improving the capacity of the State.
Statement issued by Gwede Mantashe, ANC Secretary General, February 6 2012
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