Crucial party events postponed
The spread of the Covid-19 global pandemic has shut down major political activities in South Africa, forcing parties to postpone crucial events.
The ANC, SACP, DA and the EFF are among political parties that have been hardest hit by the virus regarding their programmes for the year, in the run up to next year’s local elections.
The DA was this week forced to postpone its policy conference, which was scheduled for early next month, to September 5 and 6. The official opposition party’s elective federal congress will now take place on October 31 and November 1, instead of the scheduled early May.
Both gatherings were meant to help the party recover ground after a disastrous 2019, which saw the resignations of its top leaders and staffers, including Mmusi Maimane and Herman Mashaba.
In a circular to all party structures, DA leader John Steenhuisen and the party’s federal council chairwoman, Helen Zille, warned members against spreading inaccurate information and fake news on the pandemic that could cause fear and panic.
“During a national disaster people are generally fearful. It is crucial for us as public representatives and community leaders to be realistic and ensure people have accurate information, but they also understand the seriousness of the issue,” the circular said.
“All sanctioned Covid-19 communication will come from myself [Steenhuisen] and from the
DA’s official communication at this time,” the circular adds.
The ANC’s national working committee is meeting again tomorrow to discuss ways of coordinating the party’s response to the outbreak of Covid-19, after the organisation suspended all its branch general meetings, provincial conferences and its mid-term meeting, the national general council, among others.
The governing party also closed its headquarters on Wednesday to implement the safety measures as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last Sunday.
The SACP will scale down the annual commemoration of its late leader Chris Hani and has postponed the meetings of its political bureau and central committee that were scheduled
for March and April.
“The party has further directed a significant complement of its headquarters staff to work
from home. To minimise interprovincial travel, a number of key national meetings that do not even require 100 or more people have been placed on hold.
A discussion is taking place to uncompromisingly ensure that the Chris Hani commemoration of April 2020 complies with measures as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa,” SACP spokesman Alex Mashilo said.
