AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS KWAZULU-NATAL PROVINCE
DECLARATION OF THE PROVINCIAL GENERAL COUNCIL 22- 24 MARCH 2013
We, delegates to this Provincial General Council of the ANC, coming from branches and all structures of the movement - representing the entire membership and the general supporters of the ANC, once again reaffirm that the ANC remains the only movement with a clear and comprehensive vision for the future of our country.
In this PGC we were joined by our Leagues, the ANC Women's League, ANC Veterans' League and ANC Youth League. We were also strengthened by the presence and contributions of the MKMVA as well as our allies, the SACP, COSATU, SANCO and other components of the MDM such as COSAS and SASCO. We were also honoured by the participation of all deployees of the organisation in from various levels of the state as well as various sectors such Traditional, Religious and business sectors.
We emerged from this Provincial General Council stronger and invigorated for the tasks of the National Democratic Revolution. We emerge from this PGC with no illusion that the tasks ahead will be easy and, therefore, we are equally prepared to dedicate ourselves and to work harder than ever before to ensure the realisation of the objectives of our revolution.
The contemporary tasks of the National Democratic Revolution are correctly surmised in the declaration of the ANC 53RD National Conference, which declared that:
"South Africa is in a continuing and seamless transition from Apartheid colonialism to National Democratic Society. The interventions required to speed up change, especially in economic and social transformation, can be understood as marking a second phase of transition to a National Democratic Society. This second phase of transition should be characterised by decisive action to effect thorough-going economic transformation and democratic consolidation".
The ANC 53rd National Conference also declared the period 2013 to 2023 as a decade of the cadre which should be characterised by an intense programme of political and ideological training, academic and moral development of all cadres.
The above constitute key tasks for the revolution in the current epoch. We take cognisance of the immediate tasks facing our organisation in the province which include the following:
Maximizing and deepening Unity and Cohesion in the organisation: we commit to ensure that unity remains a guiding feature of all programmes of the organisation at all levels. This includes forging unity and ensuring that there are no members of the organisation who get isolated from programmes and activities of the organisation. We are conscious of the call by the ANC National Leadership, in particular President Jacob Zuma, that factionalism is not part of the movement.
Sustaining strong structures: we commit ourselves to build strong structures of the organisation at all levels. We are going to intensify the programme of making our branches effective in dealing with community challenges. Together with councillors, our branches would deal with issues that affect the people honestly and with speed. We shall continue with political development programme to build the capacity of our branches to carry out this task.
We take note of challenges that have characterised the ANC Youth League in the recent period. These challenges have created a void on youth issues and have compromised the link between the ANC and young people in general. We will continue working with structures and members of the ANC Youth League in building a strong ANCYL that is steeped in the traditions, culture, loyalty to policies and political orientation of the ANC. In this regard, we value the youth as the future of our country.
We shall work together with the ANC Women's League in the programme to celebrate the centenary of the Women's League. This will include educating our people about the role of women in the struggle and further ensure preservation of women's rights. Thus we call on all our structures to work with the ANCWL in this programme and in strengthening the ANCWL as an organisation.
Rendering service delivery: we are humbled by the visibility of our government in communicating and rendering services to the people. We understand the backlog on service delivery which is the legacy of apartheid colonial system; however we are acutely aware that all people deserve to enjoy equal rights which include access to basic services. In this regard, we reaffirm the resolution of the recently held Provincial Local Government Summit which instructed government to put more energy on delivery of water, electricity, sanitation and infrastructure. We further draw pride that in Dannhauser we have successfully completed the electricity connection to all households which indicates that it is possible to deliver basic service to all.
Violence and Societal-ills: as we emerge from this PGC, we condemn all elements of social ills that continue to inflict the people of our province; these social ills include political killings, violence in various areas, abuse, rape and murder of children and women. These heinous elements undermine the freedom and equality of the people. As the ANC, we call on government agencies and all other organs of society to work harder to eliminate all these challenges. As the movement we also commit to intensify our campaign to get rid of these ills from our communities.
Re-affirming the ANC as the movement of the future: we are humbled by the great legacy of the ANC which has characterised the past 101 years. This period was characterised by dedication and sacrifice by many cadres of the movement. This period has also produced quality leaders who through their discipline, dedication, morality and political astuteness still inspire us even today.
We equally understand the long journey ahead towards the total attainment of the National Democratic Society - a society that will be free of racial discrimination, free of gender inequality, united, democratic and prosperous. This is a society that was envisaged by our former President Dr Pixely Ka-Isaka Seme back in 1906 when he said: "the regeneration of Africa means that a new and unique civilization is soon to be added to the world.... Civilization resembles an organic being in its development - it is born, it perishes and it can propagate itself. More particular it resembles a plant, it takes root in the teeming earth and when the seeds fall in other soils new varieties sprout up. The most essential departure of this new civilization is that it shall be thoroughly spiritual and humanistic - indeed a regeneration moral and eternal".
While we have attained some qualitative elements of this society, a lot of work still needs to be done to achieve full equality and development. We are going to build on these achievements to better the lives for all.
In this regard, we are proud of our history and determined for the future!!!
We reaffirm that the National Development Plan entails the full programme towards building the National Democratic Society. For us, the National Development Plan is a practical programme that seeks to achieve all goals enshrined in the Freedom Charter. For the first time in history, South Africa has a futuristic plan which is comprehensive and includes all areas of the country. It also encapsulates the development of all sectors of the economy of our country and further details the social transformation path for our people.
In the same vein, we are inspired that the Provincial Government has developed the Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP) which cascade from the NDP. This provincial plan together with the NDP remains the guiding framework for all departments as well as District and Local Municipalities. All deployees should stick and be guided by the NDP and Provincial Growth and Development Plan.
We also call on local municipalities to adopt forward planning to avoid under spending or fiscal dumping. Such planning should take queue from the NDP and PGDP.
We also commit ourselves to continue ensuring that all spheres of government focus on services delivery and on eliminating fraud and corruption, elements of nepotism and fruitless expenditures. Clean government which is also coupled with effective services delivery should be the feature of all ANC led Departments and Municipalities.
Consolidation of the ANC support for the 2014 General Election: we are humbled by the support the people of our province have given to the ANC. This support is attributed to the services that our Government continue to render to our people. This affirms that the ANC is indeed an agent for change and an instrument for the development of our people.
We reaffirm our commitment in serving the people and to continue fighting for the development of all areas in the province. In regard, we share a conviction that we should increase the support the ANC enjoys among the people. Therefore, we shall strive to increase the support the ANC enjoys to at least 70%.
Thus the elections campaign starts here and today! We are going to crisscross the province and mobilise the people to vote for the ANC in 2014. We declare this as the task of each and every one - each structure and each member should work for more than 70% victory.
As we emerge from this PGC, we are humbled by the discipline and focus of all delegates to the programme of this PGC. The maximum participation of all delegates and guidance from the NEC leadership has ensured that we emerge with a comprehensive programme which outlines how the province will implement the resolutions of the ANC 53RD National Conference. We commit ourselves to neither spare energy nor space in pursuing the implementation of this programme.
As we conclude this PGC, we are inspired by the democratic process that prevailed on the election of the leadership of the organisation as we were filling vacancies created by the election of four PEC members to the NEC. This process was characterised by democracy which is the guiding principle that distinguishes the ANC from any other organisation. Democracy and Unity are reciprocal principles and not anti-thesis of each other. Like Mangaung, we reaffirm "our firm conviction that the ANC's culture of vibrant internal democracy enhances our unity of purpose rather than being a source of division and internal discord".
From this PGC, we emerge with a collective Provincial Leadership and we share equal commitment to work for the success of the organisation under the leadership of structures in levels of the organisation.
Amandla!!!
Issued by the ANC KZN, March 25 2013
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