The African National Congress Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) held its ordinary meeting on the 22nd of October 2018. The PEC meeting opened with a political overview by the Provincial Chairperson Comrade Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane who first paid tribute to the two icons of our struggle Cde Mandla Makupula and Cde Eric “Stalin” Mtshali who were both laid to rest this past weekend.
He urged all members of the organisation and especially the PEC members to emulate the values and principles that Cde Makupula and Cde Mtshali lived by, as these epitomised the founding values of movement. Cde Mabuyane also reflected on the briefly on the domestic balance of forces, highlighting that the ANC continues to enjoy growing support and confidence from the broadest sections of society as a result of its commitment to renew the organization and the visible step taken to fight corruption and state capture.
The PEC deliberated at length on the matters raised in the Political Overview by Comrade Mabuyane , which included the critical tasks of renewal and unity; reconnecting the ANC with the people, strengthening our branches and structures, and restoring the values and integrity of our movement.
The PEC meeting considered the report of the Provincial Working Committee on the State of Municipalities, Provincial Election Team, Regional Conferences, Regional General Councils. Following extensive deliberations on these matters, the PEC arrived at the following decisions.
ON MUNICIPALITIES
The report of the Provincial Working Committee detailed serious challenges of political and institutional instability in the following ANC led Municipalities, Mhlontlo Local Municipality, Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality, Port St Johns Municipality, Ingquza Hill Local Municipality and Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. The PEC noting the report and the highlighted challenges in these Municipalities tasked the ANC PEC Officials and Provincial Working Committee to lead decisive interventions in these Municipalities including effecting changes to the composition of the ANC deployment in these Municipalities where necessary.
The ANC PEC Officials and PWC are tasked to immediately ensure the restoration of political stability and to put in place support measures to ensure the immediate return of effective delivery of services in these Municipalities. In this regard, the PEC expressed itself unequivocally that any individual or ANC Deployee who becomes a stumbling block to the effective delivery of services should be removed as a matter of urgency.
The PEC further expressed its dismay at the recent burning of public buildings in Amahlathi Local Municipality and urged communities to exercise restraint when exercising their right to protest and desist from destruction of public property which in the end belongs to them. In the same breath, the PEC meeting urged all our Municipalities and government departments to give swift and speedy responses to community grievances and petitions.
ON REGIONAL CONFERENCES
The ordinary PEC meeting further considered reports on Regional Conferences and Regional General Councils as per the revised Regional Conference timelines. In this regard, the PEC confirmed the Alfred Nzo Regional General Council which closed the vacancies of Regional Deputy Chair and Regional Treasurer as a duly constituted ANC Regional General Council.
The PEC further confirmed the Chris Hani and Sarah Baartman Regional Conferences as duly constituted ANC Regional Conferences. The PEC congratulated the two regions for successfully convening their Regional Conferences and notable in this regard was Sarah Baartman region which convened its Regional Conference without a single branch appeal.
The PEC further noted the appeal against the Dr. W.B Rubusana Regional Conference and will await the final decision of the National Disputes Resolution Committee which is currently processing the appeal. In this regard, the PEC meeting confirmed that elected REC of Dr W.B. Rubusana remains in office as the legitimate organisational authority in the region, until the finalisation of appeals process.
The National Executive Committee had set the final deadline for all ANC Regional Conferences as the 31st of August 2018. In this regard, the OR Tambo and Joe Gqabi regions were unable to meet this set deadline to convene their Regional Conferences. The PEC meeting noted that both the OR Tambo and Joe Gqabi Regional Executive Committees’ 3 year constitutional term of office comes to an end in October 2018. In this regard, the PEC resolved to dissolve the RECs as their constitutional term of office has come to an end and to appoint Regional Task Teams to take the two regions to their conferences post the 2019 general elections.
NELSON MANDELA REGION
The PEC meeting received a detailed report of the various PWC visits to the Nelson Mandela Region, the report detailed the challenges facing the organisation in the region. In the main, the report revealed that the region for three consecutive branch audits has not been able to meet the 70% threshold of branches in good standing. The region was unable to convene a duly constituted Regional General Council in order to fill the vacant position of the Regional Chairperson due to its failure to meet the 70% threshold of branches in good standing.
The report also detailed a significant decline of membership in the region as per the most recent membership audit. Elections work in the region has been moving at a snail’s pace and with very few of the Nelson Mandela REC members actively participating in elections work. The PEC noting that a considerable amount of support has been given to the Nelson Mandela REC but this has not yielded any results and the situation in the region is not getting better. The PEC in this regard cautiously resolved to dissolve the Nelson Mandela REC and establish the Regional Task Team that will coordinate the work of the organization and take the region to its regional conference post the 2019 general elections.
The PEC further adopted the following guidelines for the establishment of the Regional Task Teams and tasked the PWC to consider suitable names for the appointment into the Regional Task Teams:
Composition of the Regional Task Teams
• The RTT must be constituted by 30 members
• RTT will have a Convener, Coordinator and Finance Secretary who will undertake the function of the Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer
• The principle of gender parity must be applicable. It must be in line with Rule 6.1 of the ANC Constitution as amended and adopted by the 54th National Conference in 2017 .
• The RTT must reflect continuity and youth representation
• Where practical – Alliance dynamics must also reflect in the RTT
• Political dynamics of the region must reflect in the composition of the RTT
These decisions will be communicated to all structures of the ANC, Alliance Structures and all the Mass Democratic Formations.
PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS WORK
The PEC has prepared its structures to participate fully in all aspects that lead to the success of the next general elections in the Province.
The PEC reiterate its call to first time voters, primarily youth, to register, and for those who are registered, to check and confirm their registration details including residential addresses and that the key focus area for the next general elections should be an inclusive voters roll as set out in our constitution.
LIST PROCESS
Our list processes for Provincial and National elections are at an advanced stage with BGM’s being convened in our branches. We are happy that the list process is largely influenced by the views of our people on the ground .
The PEC meeting concluded in high spirits with all PEC members committing to our fundamental objective of uniting the organisation in pursuit of building a better life for all, especially the poor.
The PEC also resolved that the task of building and consolidating the unity of the movement in the Province is an ongoing task that should remain a critical focus of all ANC cadres.
Issued by:
Eastern Cape Provincial Secretary – Cde Lulama Ngcukayitobi
Enquiries:
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