What exactly gets discussed in the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings these days? And are those discussions relevant to the prevailing political conditions?
It is fast becoming difficult to give a straight answer to this critical question.
Is this an accident of history or deliberate political machinations and management by the dominant ANC faction?
Last week the oldest liberation party in Africa again went into its ordinary NEC meeting, which also extended to an NEC Lekgotla, another one with lingering questions.
This was the first NEC Lekgotla happening after a Cabinet Lekgotla in a long while, with established tradition having the NEC Lekgotla happening first.
The question this time around is: Where did the ANC deployees get the mandate from?
The answer is: Nowhere. At least not from the political party that deployed them in government.
Tight grip on leaks
Back to the main issue of the NEC meetings.
Some might rightly argue that part of the reason there’s a poverty of information about what exactly is discussed there, is ANC admin boss Fikile Mbalula tightening his grip on leaks.
Mbalula must be commended for this. Because any organisation that takes itself seriously must manage the flow of information.
But the lingering question remains. Because even from the new culture he has introduced of press briefings in between the NEC meetings, there is nothing to write home about.
This is because comrades are running away from addressing the elephant in the room.
ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe has claimed before that the quality of discussions in this NEC collective is impressive.
But nothing out there appears any close to such. All that is becoming evident is that the dominant faction of the NEC is not only managing their political opponents within. It is managing the entire party membership as well.
Since the May 29 election humiliation that the ANC suffered, the party has convened two special NEC meetings. That is in addition to the ordinary meeting this past week.
Elephant in the room
From all three meetings, the highest decision-making body of the ANC has completely avoided discussing the elephant in the room: is their President Cyril Ramaphosa the right man to steer the ship forward?
The approximately 100-member structure, including provincial chairpersons and secretaries and Leagues, is pontificating on what many thought was the obvious question for various factors.
The obvious factor is that the ANC dipped below outright majority under Ramaphosa’s stewardship. This is despite him being branded as the saving grace for the party’s electoral misfortunes.
Secondly, any party that loses more than 20 percentage points in support under any leader would not hesitate to put that leader in the spotlight and hold them accountable.
It was under Ramaphosa that the ANC support went from 62% to the current lacklustre 40%, the biggest loss in support in two national elections any ANC head has ever suffered.
But still, the NEC has completely steered clear from addressing this elephant in the room.
Among other causes for this is the dominance of Ramaphosa’s faction within the NEC which was exacerbated by personal preservation for everyone in that structure, including his opponents.
Personal preservation
In the two special NEC meetings both in Gauteng and Western Cape, personal preservation was foremost. It was vital in the minds of many who were hopeful for deployment in government.
Indeed, when that time came for Ramaphosa to constitute the national executive, albeit under a complicated GNU regime, he rewarded his loyalists in the NEC.
As far as it is obvious, only one non-CR grouping NEC member made the cut. It is one deputy minister of human settlements Thandi Mahambehlala.
It is understood she made it thanks to a spirited fight for her inclusion by ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane.
Ramaphosa loyalists continued to swell the ranks of other positions within the state.
By the time of the ordinary NEC meeting, it was expected that most would sing for their supper. And they did exactly that.
This political management manoeuvre by Ramaphosa has also resulted in a chorus of affirmation for the GNU resolution of going to bed with the DA and rejecting EFF and MK.
Dominant faction
All indications are that ANC membership does not agree with the decision. However, the NEC dominant faction has but shut down any dissenting view against this.
Instead, a narrative “not to personalise” the electoral loss has found footing. And Ramaphosa’s allies won’t miss out on the opportunity to repeat this until everyone believes it.
It is intended for one thing and one thing only – to shield their man from being held accountable. Which might lead to his removal from the summit of the ANC.
Instead, another ploy of kicking the can down the road has been employed with another special NEC. It is scheduled for some time within this month. This is where it is alleged that issues of disbanding structures that failed will take place.
That is not going to happen, because, as one NEC member whispered over the weekend, “this thing is rotten from the head”. And no provincial leaders will agree to be sent packing if the captain of the ship is left untouched.
The many ANC NEC members who are in the country’s executive as ministers and deputy ministers are not about to hold their employer accountable.
Dissenting voice weakened
The few who are not deployed in the state are too disjointed to mount any formidable fight. Too weak to force the NEC to do the right thing – hold Ramaphosa accountable.
In fact, the SACP, whose general secretary Solly Mapaila maintained his independent voice by not being deployed into the state, had begun hitting the right notes in questioning the Ramaphosa-led ANC top brass.
But Mapaila too was muzzled and managed at the NEC Lekgotla that ended on Tuesday. This because his SACP colleagues such as chairperson of the communists Blade Nzimande is in government,
This was a feat Ramaphosa was obviously very proud of. And SACP got a patronising special mention in his closing NEC Lekgotla speech on Tuesday evening.
