Cape Times E-dition

Renewal to top ANC WC agenda

SIPHOKAZI VUSO siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za

THE ANC in the Western Cape says it is ready for its provincial conference where organisational renewal and strategies for the upcoming national elections will be a key focus.

The conference is expected to be held from August 31 to September 2.

ANC Western Cape interim provincial chairperson Lerumo Kalako said: “Key focuses will be our discussions of policies and strategies for upcoming elections in 2024. We will also be discussing thoroughly constitutional amendments of the ANC as well as organisational renewal. That will be our main focus,” he said.

Kalako confirmed allegations of financial constraints ahead of the conference. “Since the passing of the political parties funding act which demands the disclosure of all funds parties receive from private donors. Most private donors do not want to be known as funders of political parties, and that has made them not to support us. That is the main reason for the financial constraints,” he said.

South African Communist Party (SACP) Provincial Secretary Benson Ngqentsu said they had expressed their concerns ahead of the conference, including about what appeared to be institutionalised "factionalism”.

“This factionalism within the body politic of the ANC in the Western Cape has weakened the ANC's capacity to deepen, defend, advance and consolidate our shared National Democratic Revolution whose objectives remains the total liberation of the majority of this province from the yoke of centuries and decades of colonialism of a special type, and apartheid. This tendency has made the ANC inward looking instead of being preoccupied by the interest of our people and our revolution. We hope the ANC leaders in their preparations will put the interest of our people, revolution and movement first or before their personal interests,“he said.

ANC Head of Communications Sifiso Mtsweni said the party's Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) has released conference packages to branches to initiate the process of nominations for the leadership of the province. “Conference committees have been put in place including a conference preparatory and steering committee which is tasked with monitoring and ensuring that work, on a day to day basis, is done to ensure that the province meets its deadline.

The IPC therefore calls on all branches and regions to adhere strictly to the guidelines towards this important process and observe all deadlines as set out by the adopted roadmap,“said Mtsweni.

Political analyst professor Sipho Seepe said: “Western Cape has become unreachable for the ANC. And it appears that there is no recovery. For the party to recover, it must sort its mess out first before it can consider soliciting support from voters.”

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2022-08-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-08-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://capetimes.pressreader.com/article/281530819813873

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