Programme Director, Deputy Chairperson,Comrade Mlungisi Mvoko
NEC Deployees here present
Provincial Chairperson , Comrade Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane
PEC Officials
Members of the Provincial Executive Committee
ANC Regional Chairperson and Secretaries
Leadership of the ANC Youth League PCPC
Leadership ANC Women’s League PTT
Leadership of the ANC Veterans League PTT
Leadership of MK Liberation War Veterans
Leadership of the ANC Led-Alliance
Leadership of the Mass Democratic Movement
Leadership of Branches
Fellow comrades and friends
Good morning
Revolutionary greetings in the Year of Unity and Renewal to Defend and Advance South Africa’s Democratic Gains”!
Let me take this opportunity, on behalf of the Dr WB Rubusana Regional Executive Committee, to welcome all delegates to this Special Provincial General Council.
This is a watershed moment in our organization, when competing forces want an upper hand over the other. We meet when the very pillar of our internal democratic practice, the elective conference is threatened to be collapsed because of self-interests. We meet when comrades are swamped with hatred and anger whose origin cannot be traced. We meet at a time when we as revolutionary forces need to have sober heads and chat the way forward for our organization.
The way forward for the ANC should be premised on the long held view of renewal. This is the project we can not compromise on. Without the renewal of the ANC, we may as well close shop. The ANC cannot continue the path and the trajectory of self-destruction that we have seen in the past. This has cost us dearly particularly on the trust deficit front. We need to regain the trust of the people by continuing with the renewal of the ANC. It therefore goes without saying that our resolve to support the proponent of ANC renewal should not be shaken and it will not. We support the re-election and the continuation of President Cyril Ramaphosa to lead us in this project of renewal of the ANC.
The Policy framework we discussed and agreed upon in our previous PGC gives me hope that our the ANC will be responsive to the needs of our people. We are the only organization that is grounded in our communities and we know fully well what needs t be done. Our problem, which can no longer be denied is our tendency to focus on internal feuds and waste time and resources dealing with ill-discipline and anarchy within the ANC. We spend time and resources busy with factional agendas and fights. We fight as if there will be no ANC tomorrow.
Chairperson, over the years our Province has been used as a battleground for these factional fights. More often than not we would go to the National Conference as a divided force. That should come to an end. We need to emerge out of this gathering speaking with one voice, and that voice will have to be consistent with the mandate we received from the branches during their BGMs. We cannot afford to be used for nefarious agendas that will not benefit anyone but the opportunists and wedge drivers in the broader democratic and progressive forces.
We must resolve to isolate counter-revolutionary tendencies.
Comrade Chairperson and delegates, the time is now to save the ANC. The time is now to deicide if we are with the people or against them. Our voice as the Province of the Eastern Cape should be loud, yet be a voice of reason.
On behalf of all the democratic formations in this Region, please allow me to welcome you all, and I am quite sure that the outcome of this Special PGC will deliver a new chapter in the body of politic of the Eastern Cape Province.
We are looking forward to the 55th National Conference to defend the gains of our revolution.
Amanda!
