As part of the preparations towards the 2019 General Elections, the ANC in the Eastern Cape convened a Provincial Election Strategy Workshop on the 22nd – 23rd April 2018 at Osner Hotel in East London.
The workshop was attended by ANC PEC, ANC NEC Deployees, ANC Regional and Local Election Coordinators, ANC MPs, MPLs, MECs, Mayors and representatives from our Allies – the SACP, COSATU and SANCO.
The workshop received a Political Overview from the Provincial Chairperson, Comrade Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane. This presented the strategic focus areas upon which our election campaign is to be anchored.
The ANC’s national election strategy with clear plans for an overwhelming victory in the 2019 General Elections was outlined by the ANC National Head of Elections, Comrade Fikile Mbalula.
The workshop considered and engaged on various strategies in relation to Mobilization, Campaigns, Training, Finance and Fundraising, Communications, Research and Strategy, Governance and Service Delivery acceleration, Legal, Monitoring and Security, as well as Sectoral Outreach.
An earnest self-introspection for self-correction process was done, and it was agreed that ANC needs to speed up healing process in the aftermath of Conferences. The workshop further directed the ANC PEC to deal with all outstanding matters pertaining to organisational differences that have a potential of derailing our campaign.
Mobilisation and Campaigns
The workshop agreed that all our efforts must be geared towards the task of rallying more progressive forces that embrace the NDR as a vehicle towards building a non-racial, non-sexist, and democratic South Africa.
As such the ANC will develop a clear and succinct programme to revive ANC Branches by intensifying recruitment, issuing membership cards, induction of BECs, as well as re-building of the Leagues and other Mass Democratic Formations.
Given that 70% of our 2019 voters are under 40 years of age, the ANC needs to develop a programme that responds to this cohort, which will include messages of hope to those who are unemployed – many of which fall within this particular age group.
Legal and Monitoring
The workshop resolved that the importance of capacitating our structures concerning the Electoral Act and Finance and Fundraising will compliment this work by mobilizing funds in an ethical, transparent and accountable fashion. This will ensure that the required resources are extended to structures charged with the implementation of our election programme.
Unity
The workshop called for unity and condemned the acts of defiance and non cooperation with ANC structures, with particular reference to those deployed to Government in the Province. The differences that are surfacing in the public domain do not bode well for the ANC, especially considering that we are in a year preceding an election year.
List Processes
The ANC PEC will finalise the Provincial List Committee by the 1st of May 2018. Nominating BGMs will be convened during June and July 2018, and only Branches in good standing will be participating in the list processes.
The Provincial List Conference will be convened in August 2018, and will be followed by the National List Conference in September 2018.
Voter Registration
The ANC in the Eastern Cape encourages all eligible voters to update their registration details in order to meet the requirements set out by the Constitutional Court. We further encourage all first-time voters to register to vote in their numbers now at the nearest Municipal IEC office and not simply wait for the next open voter registration weekend.
The workshop concluded on high spirits and an encouraging positive note with a firm commitment to meet the set election the time frames and deadlines.
We firmly hold that new dawn outlook is surely set to carry the aspirations of the masses into the sixth term of this democratic dispensation.
Our well-oiled elections machinery set and ready to deliver a resounding victory in the upcoming Elections.
The statement must be attributed to the ANC EC Provincial Secretary, Cde Lulama Ngcukayitobi.
Enquiries
ANC EC Media & Liaison Officer
Judy Mpetsheni
Mobile No
0636878267 / 0731176194
ANC EC Communications
Manager
Gift Ngqondi
0848439706 / 0849519924
