The ANC Caucus Virtual meeting held today, Saturday 9 May 2020 a year after the 2019 General elections pledged its full support for President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Government’s COVID – 19 interventions.
This historic virtual ANC Caucus constituted of Members of Parliament followed a successful ANC NEC meeting as well as a series of Virtual Parliamentary Study Groups which considered Departmental strategic plans in the preceding fortnight.
Opening the Virtual Caucus meeting, President Cyril Ramaphosa provided an hour long Presidential overview on the political and socio- economic challenges posed by COVID – 19 and the national tasks emerging for the ANC from this global crisis.
President Ramaphosa highlighted both opportunities and threats posed by the crisis and its implications for long term unity of the ANC and its alliance partners.
Calling for all hands on deck in efforts to mobilize the Nation in providing the requisite leadership during the National Lockdown; President Ramaphosa outlined economic measures undertaken by the Government as its strategic posture in pursuit of refocusing the Second Economy through resource mobilization for businesses including informal traders as well as inclusion of women ,young people and Persons with disabilities in this economy.
ANC Caucus also received various inputs from the following Ministers:
• Finance Minister Tito Mboweni and Ebrahim Patel on the Financial and Economic Implications of Covid – 19 and measures adopted under Level 4 of the Lockdown to open up the Economy
• Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan on the SAA Rescue Plan
• Higher Education and Basic Education Ministers Blade Nzimande and Angie Motshekga on the Back to School Roadmap as well as moves to save the Academic year whilst saving lives in the Education sector.
ANC Caucus welcomed the interventions made in the various sectors and was satisfied that the Government had applied its mind through the National Command Council as an implementation agent. Caucus further agreed on the need to mobilize all sectors of society behind the vision of the Government and called on all citizens to adhere to Level 4 Lockdown regulations.
The Meeting also acknowledged that the gradual well – thought migration from Level 5 to Level 4 of the National Lockdown has assisted in the opening up of some sections of the Agricultural sector, utilities, construction, retail, mining, financial business services as well as the public sector and other professional services.
The ANC Caucus also condemned in the strongest terms the ill- timed irrational calls by the DA for the Lockdown to end prematurely. ANC Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina viewed these utterances as tantamount to calls for civil disobedience and incitement recklessly aimed at undermining the Government’s efforts for short – term political gains.
Caucus urged all peace- loving and patriotic South Africans to defy the Democratic Alliance and adhere to Lockdown regulations aimed at flattening the curve and slowing down the spread of the virus.
Issued by the Office of the Chief Whip, Hon. Pemmy Majodina
Enquiries:
Nomfanelo Kota
Acting Caucus Spokesperson
0767336511
