Press Statement following the bilateral meeting Of the ANC and CONTRALESA

The Officials of the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) of the African National Congress in Eastern Cape and of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (CONTRALESA) held a bilateral meeting on Monday, 26 September 2016 at Canon James Calata House, the ANC Provincial Headquarters in King William’s Town. The meeting was convened to provide the necessary platform for the ANC and CONTRALESA to discuss a range of issues confronting traditional leaders and to establish consensus on issues of common interest.

The meeting was characterised by frank, open and robust discussions in the best traditions of the Congress movement. The ANC acknowledged the concerns raised by CONTRALESA, which were both political and administrative in character. In this regard, the meeting appreciated the historic and contemporary role played by traditional leaders in establishment and development of the ANC and the country.

Important to highlight is that the leadership of CONTRALESA reaffirmed its allegiance and support of the African National Congress as a reliable political organisation to transform the lives of ordinary South Africans.

The ANC also appreciated that the programme of democratisation of society must not undermine our way of life as the people. In this regard, the practice is that the State must respect and protect the institution of traditional leadership in accordance with the dictates of democracy, whilst the institution of traditional leadership must also promote freedom, human dignity and the achievement of equality and national building.

The meeting further acknowledged the need for the state to provide appropriate and sufficient support to the institution of traditional leadership towards enabling to execute its tasks and responsibilities. The two organisations also acknowledged that in the recent past, misconstructions and tensions had manifested themselves, which included public pronouncements are now considered as unfortunate and therefore regrettable.

In this regard, the organisations reaffirmed that even though differences of opinion and perspective may arise from time to time, what must never be lost is that what binds the two parties is much stronger than differences on specific issues of policy.

Broadly speaking and as a way forward, the two organisations agreed on mutual Programme of Action led by the secretariat to respond to the concerns raised. In the main, the two parties appreciated that the meeting is the commencement of a more sustained and regular engagement on broad and specific matters of concern, in particular, those relating to governance.

NB: The Statement must be attributed to the ANC EC Provincial Secretary Oscar Mabuyane.

For further information, please contact:
ANC EC Acting Communications Officer
Judy Ngoloyi
Mobile No: 073 117 6194
Email: judy.ngoloyi@gmail.com