The African National Congress (ANC) in the Eastern Cape held a Special Provincial Working Committee (PWC) meeting in Port Elizabeth on Sunday, 13 November 2017. The Special PWC meeting was preceded by bilateral meetings with the ANC Caucus in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality and the Alliance in the Nelson Mandela Region.
The PWC Bilateral with the ANC Caucus which was also attended by the ANC Nelson Mandela Regional Executive Committee (REC), received a Political Overview from the Deputy Provincial Chairperson Comrade Mlungisi Mvoko who amongst other issues highlighted the importance of unity in confronting the challenges facing the organization and the country today.
The meeting acknowledged the gains that are being reversed as a result of the ANC losing control of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. The ANC accepted the will of the people expressed in the 2016 local government elections, but however noted how the Democratic Alliance (DA), like it does in other municipalities where it governs, prioritizes affluent areas and ignores working class and poor communities, especially in relation to service delivery.
This is also seen by the budget which is skewed towards the historical constituencies which were preserved for the white population in the apartheid era.
Nelson Mandela Bay African townships have been affected by electricity and water outages for the past five (5) days due to a labour dispute unresolved by DA government in the Metro.
Our communities have become spectators watching in the side-lines political bickering and meddling in the administration of the municipality by inept DA leadership led by Trollip.
The ANC in the Province will work closely with the REC and the ANC Caucus in ensuring that the organization plays an effective role as the main opposition in the council. The meeting also called for the immediate implementation of separation of powers in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality in order to ensure that the Council holds the Executive accountable in matters of governance and service delivery.
Bilateral meeting with the Alliance
The PWC meeting with the South African Communist Party (SACP), Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), and the South African National Civics Organisation (SANCO) in the Nelson Mandela Region received input from the Provincial Deputy Secretary, Cadre Helen-Sauls August, who emphasized the need for a united, functional, and strong Alliance in order to advance, deepen, and defend the gains of our shared NDR.
The meeting agreed that the challenges confronting the movement and our country today, require a collective effort of all components of the Alliance. Factionalism, corporate capture of the movement characterised by the use of money to subvert democratic processes of the organisation, deep internal divisions, and other new erosive subcultures within our ranks, require a strong, functional, and united Alliance.
The bilateral also noted the impact that restructuring has on industries in the Nelson Mandela Metro, especially as it relates to retrenchments, divestments, and the fragmentation of the working class.
The PWC committed to work with the SACP, COSATU, and SANCO in the Province, in ensuring that we rebuild a campaigning, active, united, and vibrant Alliance in the Eastern Cape in general, and the Nelson Mandela Metro in particular.
Special PWC meeting.
The special PWC meeting received an update on the Branch General Meetings (BGMs) held in preparation for the 54th National Conference of the of the ANC scheduled to take place in December. The PWC acknowledged the overall progress of BGMs held thus far in the Province, although a number of branches have not convened their meetings, especially in the Amathole, Nelson Mandela, and Joe Gqabi regions. The PWC welcomed the decision by the NEC to reinforce the REC and PEC deployees with team from the Organising Unit in ensuring that the deadline for BGMs is met.
The PWC further received a report on the state of the Mnquma Local Municipality following reports of irregularities in a number of senior appointments and the resurgence of political instability within the municipality. The PWC fully supports the intervention by the MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), and will ensure that the recommendations are implemented by the ANC Caucus.
The PWC further resolved to be more hands-on and play a direct oversight role over the Mnquma ANC Caucus in an effort to restore political stability to Municipality.
The PWC further welcomed the decision of the ANC NEC to put in place an NEC Task Team to process the appeal against the outcomes of the 8th Provincial Conference.
The PWC will ensure that all structures and members of the ANC in the Province cooperate with the process commissioned by the NEC, and stressed that the process must also be used to strengthen unity of the ANC in the Province.
The Statement must be attributeds to the ANC EC Provincial Secretary, Cde Lulama Ngcukayitobi.
For more information please contact:
ANC EC Media & Liaison Officer
Judy Mpetshneni
Mobile No: 073 117 6194 / 063 687 8267
Email: judy.ngoloyi@gmail.com
