ANC Statement on the NWC visit to Limpopo and the formation of the party political platform by Dr Ramphela
The National Working Committee of the African National Congress met with the PEC of Limpopo at the Ranch Hotel on the 17th - 18th February 2013. This was a follow up meeting to receive the provincial leadership's response to matters raised by ANC branches in Limpopo province three weeks ago. The NWC has now enough information on the organisational situation in the province from receiving the response coupled with matters raised by the branches. The NWC will submit a report to the National Executive Committee in March 2013 regarding its visit to Limpopo. It will be up to the NEC to pronounce on the next step of action based on the NWC report.
We have noted the announcement made by Dr Mamphela Ramphela on the establishment of a party political platform called Agang. This pronouncement comes after reported fund raising efforts by Dr Ramphela in foreign countries that include the United States of America. We just hope that the pumping of foreign funds in South Africa will not undermine the further democratization and transformation in our country.
The ANC prides itself for having provided a platform for engagement at both party and government level, for ordinary South African intellectuals and the general population to contribute meaningfully in dealing with vexing challenges facing our country. The initiative by Dr. Ramphela is goading South Africans to participate at the periphery of our political dispensation. We also believe that this initiative is grievance driven, whilst Dr. Ramphela rehash the known challenges facing our country she does not bring any new suggestions to the table.
The restated challenges have been amply covered in the recent State of the Nation Address by President Jacob Zuma, and they will also be fully attended to in the debates before parliament this week as well as during the appropriation of budgets by both national and provincial departments. They have been the preoccupation of the ANC government for the past 18 years within the context of undoing centuries of neglect, discrimination, exploitation and underdevelopment of all black people by colonial and apartheid regimes. While this platform is in keeping with multiparty democracy and plurality of policy options we view this decision as lacking to accept that a litter of political parties do not necessarily offer a solution to reverse the impact of colonial and apartheid rule.
It is also a disservice to the people of South Africa for those who are behind such formation not to have given clarity of what it is, that is new that they want to bring to the political terrain. The Agang/Akhani of Dr. Ramphela falls within this category. It is clear that this undefined party political platform is a fore-runner to the formation of a political party by Dr. Ramphela. We welcome her to the political environment and we hope that she has the necessary staying power. We will meet her where it matters most in the hearts and minds of our people.
Statement issued by Jackson Mthembu, ANC National Spokesperson, February 18 2013
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