The ANC will for the first time since its May 29 elections bloodbath do a deep dive to chart the way forward.
This comes as the party from Thursday until Saturday, will convene at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni. It will meet to discuss the crushing electoral defeat it suffered two months ago.
The highest decision-making body of the Pixley Seme Street-based outfit is expected to have intense discussions about what exactly went wrong.
Focus on KZN loss
Among other topics expected to feature prominently is what is to be done with ANC in KZN. There the party was almost wiped out, with its former President Jacob Zuma’s MK Party becoming the largest party in that province.
Some have called for the NEC to move to disband the provincial leadership in KZN. But secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has cautioned against quick-fix solutions.
In a recent interview with Sunday World Engage, Mbalula said the factors that affected ANC in KZN were bigger than the inefficiency of the Siboniso Duma-led provincial executive committee.
“When you look at KZN and you compare it with other provinces, you will realise that we have a cadreship of the ANC that had come into leadership positions from the ranks of the Youth League. And it needs a lot of nurturing and political support,” said Mbalula.
“Easy solutions like disbandment and a blame game are [no solutions]. They are for people who do not have a clear understanding of what it takes to build an organisation. It has taken a knock for many resolutions around the world to come back.”
Finding out causes and solutions
Mbalula insists that the prevailing conditions of the ANC require leadership with ideological clarity. Especially clarity on what happened, instead of dealing with comrades.
“The challenge for the ANC at the present moment is ‘do we have the stamina, the leadership, ideological clarity first about what happened?’ Also theoretical analysis? And then ‘do we have a programme of action to lead the masses to come back to the ANC?’ That is how that leadership of KZN is going to be judged.”
Another province whose affairs are expected to feature prominently is Gauteng. It also has a massive decrease in electoral support.
With Gauteng, another contentious issue will be the government that the province formulated, that excluded the DA. A crucial component of the government of national unity (GNU) and the government of provincial unity (GPU) in KZN.
Others have made calls that Gauteng PEC must also be disbanded, with a strong push back.
The party’s GPU decision will also be placed on the table. This after elements of the tripartite alliance, led by the ANC, have expressed dissenting views about that resolution. Chiefly the SACP through its general secretary Solly Mapaila.
The NEC meeting will end on Saturday with the NEC Lekgotla taking centre stage for three days as of Sunday.
ANC leaders to receive line of march about governance
This is where ANC deployees in government from ministers, premiers and mayors among others, will be given a line of march about the programme of government.
It remains to be seen how the party will juggle around the new political reality. That of being part of GNU and three PNU governments that include other political parties. A first since ANC came into power in 1994.
The tough task will be having separate mandates for both realities. Provinces like Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Free State, North West is where ANC has outright majority. And the situation of KZN, Gauteng and Northern Cape, where power-sharing is the order of the day. This is the reality following the May 29 elections outcomes.
The Lekgotla meeting will finish next Tuesday.
