REMARKS BY COMRADE NJ MAHLANGU
Comrades!
We meet here today at a crucial time in the history of the ANC in the province.
As we gather at this extended PEC and begin our deliberations on important policies of our movement, the African National Congress, let us do so fully aware that we carry with us the expectations and hopes of millions of our people.
Hope that our discussions and decisions we take here will accelerate change and improve their lives.
We met here to rededicate ourselves to our central mission of
the creation of a democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South
Africa.
We meet to assess our state of organisation - to see whether we were a fit
instrument to discharge the responsibility of leading our province and our
country as it goes through the difficult process of social transformation.
And having made the assessment and criticised ourselves where necessary, we would then decide on the corrective measures that would need to be taken.We must keep these matters in sight because we are the ANC!
We are the ANC because we are committed to the eradication of poverty and can never say our work is done while with our own eyes we see the suffering of the rural masses and the blight of the squatter camps that surround our towns and cities.
In order to give credence to our co-ordinated efforts we have to re-align our existing branches and regions to fall in line with the present municipal boundaries where possible and feasible.
At the moment the boundaries of ANC structures below provincial level do not presently correspond with the boundaries of local government structures, thus creating problems of coordination and accountability.
Our movement has the responsibility to transform society and ensure good governance, and that the ANC should be structured in such a manner to ensure effective coordination.
Therefore, the boundaries of our structure should correspond with those of government.
Comrades, remember that the branch is the basic unit of the movement.But let me emphasise that the BEC is not the branch. The BEC must take its mandate from t6he general membership in that branch. Because we all agree that the branch is the basic unit of the ANC and a primary vehicle for the participation of member in the political life of the movement.
We should build and strengthen our branches as agents of change and vanguards of their communities, taking up campaigns around local development and community problems.We need to adopt the one ward one branch and one metro/district one region as the primary organisational approach, allowing for flexibility where the need arises.
But such deviation should be submitted to the PEC for ratification. The PEC will then submit such recommendation to the office of the Secretary General at Luthuli House for final approval.The position in this province is that in some cases the PEC has considered such deviations, but has not yet submitted these to the Secretary General's office. This situation needs to be corrected.
We are fortunate, no blessed, that we have with us comrades who have been deployed into the province to strengthen organizing in Mpumalanga.They will be given an opportunity to give input on their experiences thus far. Let me take this opportunity to appeal to all members and structures of the ANC to cooperate with the comrades so we can build a strong ANC.
I am told that in the last two months or so there have been lots of irregularities in the establishment of branches. There seem to be a tendency amongst some of us to exclude some sections of a ward in order to ensure that we are elected into OUR branches instead of into ANC branches.
There is also no evidence that these branches are genuine or that the members are indeed ANC members because they have no temporary cards.
That is why we are proposing to the PWC that it recommend to the PEC that we have an audit of all branches launched so far and to stop launching any further branches until such an audit has been done.If indeed we do find that such irregularities have taken place, we need to correct that.
Not with anger and hatred, but with understanding while preserving the traditions of the ANC of honesty and integrity.That is the only way we can build an ANC that is sustainable. By building sustainable branches and regions.
Comrades, although we had taken a resolution that we should gave disestablished the seven regions by the end of May, logistical problems prevented us from doing so.
But let every RGC in all the seven regions hold a meeting
where it would nominate some comrades to work towards the establishment of three
regions.It is rare that history gives us an opportunity and the means to truly
change society. This year, fate bestowed on us with this gift.
We will begin with a journey to branches and regions in order to harness the
potential for realigning our branches.As we do so let us protect and guard the
precious legacy of our movement. Let us defend its unity and integrity as
committed disciples of change. We must do so while pursuing its popular
objectives like true revolutionaries who seek only to serve the nation.
History sits in judgment, and each one of us has a stake in the verdict. In its outcome lie the hopes of our masses and the future of our young.
We are looking forward to a fruitful meeting by robust debate. Let us protect and guard the ANC's precious legacy; defend its unity and integrity as committed disciples of change and pursue its popular objectives like true revolutionaries who seek only to serve the nation.
Amandla.