ANC statement by ANC Secretary General Cde Ace Magashule on the outcomes of the 3rd regular session of the National Executive Committee
29 May 2018
The ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) held its regular 3 day meeting from Saturday, 26th May to Monday 28th May 2018 at St George Hotel in Irene, Tshwane.
The NEC meeting focused on:
- Thuma Mina campaign and building of a capable state,
- Economic transformation,
- Land reform and agrarian revolution,
- violent crime and gender based violence, and
- State of the organisation.
On Governance
The National Executive Committee received a report on state of Governance and expressed its grave concerns on the state of municipalities, as reflected in the report of the Auditor General (AG) and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), including the growing spate of violent service delivery protests across the country.
On campaigns
The NEC received a report on the #ThumaMina Campaign, an organisational initiative to mobilise ANC structures and communities to become active agents in addressing basic services in their communities, working with their governments. The Campaign will see the first weekend of each month dedicated to addressing community issues. We are, therefore, making a call to all South Africans to join the #ThumaMina Campaign.
On Health
The NEC also took note of the challenges in the public health system, and directed its Sub-Committee on Health and Education to convene and present a report and recommendations to the National Working Committee (NWC), on the intervention and the roll-out plan of the National Health Insurance (NHI) and on the comprehensive review of the state of our social security net.
On Economic Transformation
The NEC welcomed the cautious signs of economic recovery, reflected in first quarter of this year’s growth figures and improvements in the investor, rating agencies and consumer confidence.
The NEC directed the Economic Transformation Committee to also put urgent focus on the following:
- Nationalisation of the Reserve Bank
- Prepare a report on the Economic Recovery Plan (a key task from the 2018 NEC January 8 Statement), for the ANC submission on the Jobs and Investment Summits.
- and to also consider May Day, Freedom Day and General Election Day as non-trading days
On Land Reform and Agrarian Revolution
The NEC adopted the recommendations of the Consultative Land Summit. It affirmed the following key approaches and commitments:
- To redouble its efforts to fulfil the historic mission of land reform and redistribution to provide access to land to millions of dispossessed South Africans in order to address the historical injustice of colonialism, apartheid and patriarchy.
- The correct implementation of the accelerated land redistribution and land reform, will assist in stimulating economic growth and development, reduce racial and gender inequalities, and will transform the lives of all South Africans, black and whites.
- That patriarchy and the triple oppression of black women, have also led to women’s exclusion in land ownership, although they make up the majority of those who work the land. Our Land Reform and Agrarian Revolution must at its core, empower women.
The ANC task team on land reform will intensify engagements with all stakeholders, including communities, municipalities, state owned entities, traditional leaders, private sector and other large landowners, farmers and property developers on the issues of land redistribution. In this regard the NEC noted that Traditional Leaders have always been part in the lives of our people in the struggle against colonialism and formation of the ANC
The NEC adopted a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach to the parliamentary review of Section 25 of the Constitution based on the following steps:
(a) Immediately use Section 25 of the Constitution to press ahead with expropriation of land, in order to test the argument that the Constitution does permit expropriation without compensation in certain circumstances. Should it be found that Section 25 impedes the implementation of expropriation of land without compensation push for amendment.
b) Immediately pass the Expropriation Bill and Land Redistribution Bill in order to bring greater clarity to the transformative intent and impact of the Constitution.
The NEC calls for the broad-based participation of all South Africans in the Constitutional Review Process. It appreciated that to date over 200,000 submissions have been made. It urged the President to move swiftly on the appointment an Expert Panel on Land Reform and Agrarian Revolution.
On Violence, Crime, Gender-based Violence
The NEC expressed its deep concern on the unacceptably high levels of violent crimes, and gender based violence, including femicide, the scourge of gangs and drug abuse, discrimination against people living with albinism; as well as the spate of cash-in-transit heists. The ANC remains deeply alarmed by the spate of criminal targeted killings throughout the country, especially in KZN and recently in Gert Sibande region in Mpumalanga.
On Organisational matters
The NEC adopted its Annual Organisational Plan of Action 2018 based on the 54th Conference resolutions to Unite and Renew and Strengthening branches , Regions, and Provinces to drive transformation and change.
It urges its regional and provincial structures whose mandates expired or are about to expire, to convene their conferences and conduct them in a spirit of inclusion before the end of July 2018.
The NEC noted the good work done by the National Dispute Resolution Committee in resolving disputes.
The NEC adopted the National Political Education Plan and the Communications Protocol both these plans are central to advancing its values, discipline, integrity and capacity for implementation, including the development of leadership, cadres and membership at all levels. The relevant subcommittees will unveil these plans to the media durin the course of this week.
The NEC unequivocally expressed commitment towards the process of organizational stability and renewal and that all forms of destructive ills impeding the effective functioning of the organization like disunity, factionalism and lobby groupings should cease to exist with immediate effect. Anyone found or reported to be participating actively in such activities will be attended through the relevant structures charged with enforcing and upholding organizational discipline. The NEC further agreed to convene a Special NEC to take the process of Unity and Cohesion further forward across all Provinces and to further position the ANC as an effective instrument of societal transformation.
On Palestine
The NEC supported the decision of the government to withdraw its Ambassador from Israel after the recent senseless and brutal massacre of Palestinians. The NEC confirmed its commitment to support all processes towards recognition of the rights of Palestinians, and a peaceful resolution to the conflict, in the context of a two-state solution.
The NEC urges Government to implement the 54th National Conference decision on downgrading the South African Embassy in Israel to a Liaison Office.
Issued by ANC Secretary General Cde Ace Magashule, 30 May 2018
