We emerge from Polokwane stronger and more united

Editor’s Note: The ANC’s 52nd National Conference closed this week with an address by newly-elected ANC President Jacob Zuma. In this, the last edition of ANC Today for 2007, we print an edited extract from President Zuma’s address.

We have come to the end of our historic 52nd National Conference, which has no doubt been a watershed conference in many respects. The outcomes of this conference are of historical significance and will have a lasting impact in relation to the nature and character of our movement. The 52nd conference has set the scene for centenary celebrations in 2012. Our theme, ‘Building a caring society: Advance in unity towards 2012’, underscores the work that needs to be undertaken in preparation for what will be a colossal milestone for the parliament of the people.

I am called upon to lead this multi-class organisation and ruling party, succeeding Cde Thabo Mbeki, a comrade, friend and brother. I have known and worked with Cde Mbeki for over 30 years. I must confess I never thought that the two of us would one day compete for the same position in the ANC! However, contesting positions does not make us enemies. The conference is now behind us and we will continue to work together to unite and build a stronger ANC.

There is likely to be anxiety regarding the existence of two Presidents - one of state and the other of the party. There is no reason for uncertainty or fear in any quarter. Cde Mbeki and I, both as members of the ANC first and foremost, will develop smooth working relations between government and the ruling party, assisted by the leadership collective.

We have taken various resolutions at this conference, which will guide us on our way forward. ANC policies, including economic policies that have been adopted at this conference, do not indicate a fundamental shift from the policies that the ANC has adopted since it has come into power. Let me reiterate that decisions with regards to policies in the ANC are taken by conference and not by an individual.

There is therefore no reason why the domestic or international business community or any other sector should be uneasy. I tried to calm these fears before the conference during my meetings with various business groupings at home and abroad. Our resolutions on economic matters will bring about closure and certainty on these matters. We have made it clear that we need more foreign and domestic investment. We also encourage our domestic business community to invest in the local economy to encourage the international counterparts to do the same. We also remain fully committed to broad based black economic empowerment, to increase participation in our economy.

While encouraging the creation of a conducive environment for investment, we remain cautious not to compromise the National Democratic Revolution, which is our guiding philosophy in policy formulation and implementation. Our Alliance partners are key stakeholders in policy development and implementation. We will be able to continue to work together as community, business and labour to find workable solutions.

We are also going to sharpen our policy instruments with a view to having a direct impact in the fight against poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment.

The conference has taken an important resolution on agrarian revolution, calling for a 30% redistribution of land by 2014 and support for subsistence farming and food security while maintaining a productive agricultural sector. The interests of the rural poor can only be advanced effectively by the people’s movement, while obviously balancing them with the growth of the commercial agricultural sector.

One of the challenges that has been affecting economic growth and development as well as social stability, is crime. Our strategy and tactics addresses organised crime as a threat to our democratic order. It is a counter revolutionary force which needs to be eliminated. I therefore call on all ANC branches to actively lead, champion and facilitate crime prevention strategies. We had street committees before. If we were able to defeat vigilantism and the apartheid system, what can stop us from defeating this ugly factor that has tainted our democracy.

All our ANC structures, including the two leagues, should also actively participate in the fight against HIV and AIDS in all the facets of the national strategy - prevention, treatment and providing support to families and individuals that are affected and infected. We must live up to our slogan and build a caring society that does not discriminate against those living with HIV and AIDS, while working to prevent infections. This cannot be left to government and the NGO sector alone.

We are proud of the fact that we are emerging from Polokwane stronger and ready to heal and unite the ANC and face the present and the future with greater vigour.

In the political and organisational reports, Cde Mbeki, former President of the ANC and Cde Kgalema Motlanthe, former Secretary General, referred to the many unresolved issues that still plague the organisation. The occurrences of the first day of conference were indicative of internal problems that need to be sorted out without delay. The leadership must not fail to address problems within the organisation. A lesson we have learnt from this conference, is that if the leadership fails to resolve issues, or to grasp the feelings of membership on issues that concern the movement and instead appears to perpetuate the problems, the membership takes over and asserts its authority in ways that we may not be comfortable with. However we must endeavour to always relate to each other in a comradely manner, regardless of how strongly we feel about issues.

Going forward, we commit ourselves as the incoming NEC collective that we will never allow any problem to go unresolved. Every problem or issue must be discussed thoroughly and be resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned. One of the tangible achievements of the conference is that it managed to maintain and restore the ANC philosophy and ideology that the ANC branches are supreme. Delegates came to Polokwane with mandates from branches, and they carried out the mandate they had been given when they cast their votes.

With that process having been finalised, we need to remember that this was not an ANC Conference of victors and losers. As the newly elected NEC we will endeavour to work with all the comrades who did not make it to this NEC to ensure that the unity of the ANC is strengthened. We are all ANC members who just happened to prefer a different set of leadership collectives as it is our democratic right. It is our collective task to repair whatever damage or harm may have been caused as we were building up towards the conference. Let me emphasise that the leadership collective will serve the entire membership of the ANC, regardless of whether a person voted for Thabo Mbeki or Jacob Zuma or any other member or leader. We cannot have a Zuma camp or a Mbeki camp. There is only one ANC. None among us is above the organisation or bigger than the ANC.

The conference has aptly demonstrated the commitment of the ANC to gender equality. We congratulate the ANC Women’s League on its efforts to assert the voice and rights of women in ANC decision making processes. Our Constitution has been unanimously amended to increase the women quota in our structures, from 30 to 50 percent. In addition, our commitment goes beyond the constitutional amendment. For the first time in our history, we have included a special clause that deals with patriarchal oppression. We have committed ourselves to the creation of the material and cultural conditions that would allow the abilities of women to develop full potential and enrich the life of the nation. The ANC’s fundamental policies, culture and attitudes are based on anti-racism and anti-tribalism. The election results for the six officials are therefore not surprising, as they demonstrate clearly that those elected had the support of the largest majority of ANC branches throughout the country. They represent people from all racial, class, gender and religious backgrounds. Most importantly, the conference has reminded us that unity is one of the central pillars of our movement.

Our father, stalwart and icon, Isithwalandwe Cde Nelson Mandela outlined the importance of unity eloquently in a message to the ANC in exile after the 1976 uprising. He said: “Every effort to divide the blacks, to woo and pit one black group against another must be vigorously repulsed. Our people - African, Coloured, Indian and democratic whites must be united into a single massive and solid wall of resistance, of united mass action. This is not the time for the luxury of division and disunity at all levels. In every walk of life, we must close ranks. Within the ranks of the people, differences must be submerged to the achievement of a single goal, the complete overthrow of apartheid and racist domination’’.

In a message sent to the ANC during the Kabwe conference, Madiba again reminded us that unity is the rock upon which the ANC was founded. This message was relevant then, it is still relevant to us today. We have to confront the issue of unity in the same manner that Madiba instructed the ANC in 1976 and 1985.

This conference has also reaffirmed the need for the continued existence of our Tripartite Alliance. This proves the correctness of the statement made by Inkosi Albert Luthuli when he said that the ANC is the shield and SACTU the spear. This is the nature of the ANC-SACP-COSATU Alliance relationship. This alliance is based on mutual trust and respect and should be defended and protected by all ANC members. Coming out of this conference we have a clear mandate to build and strengthen the alliance, to nurture it and defend it. We look forward to the Alliance Summit that has been mooted by our Deputy President, Cde Motlanthe.

The ANC has always had the fortune of having a vibrant and robust Youth League. The League remains consistent in pursuit of what they believe is right, in defence of the ANC and democracy. The Youth League continues to play its role as a historical agent of change and the source of energy for the ANC.

As stated in the organisational report, the ANC Youth League is a breeding ground for future leaders of the ANC. This has to be encouraged and maintained for the growth of the organisation.

The mandate arising from this 52nd Conference is clear: As a collective and through our structures, we need to create a united ANC that recognizes the legacy left by comrades OR Tambo, Albert Luthuli and Nelson Mandela.

We need to heal the ANC. We must also work with government and other sectors to build a caring society. Most importantly, we need to position our branches and structures at the centre of the NDR, because the ANC is a people centred and people driven organisation.

We must strengthen democracy through making the ANC the leader of development and service delivery. We must build the capacity of our branches, so that they can drive and influence the development of their local communities. We have to strengthen the relationships with organised business so that we continue growing the South African economy. Clearly, we have a lot of work to do.

Let me extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Limpopo Province and the University of Limpopo for their excellent hospitality. I am delighted that the 52nd conference of the ANC was held in Limpopo, as this province is the home of the former President of the ANC, Cde Sefako Mapogo Makgatho who led the movement from 1917 to 1924. Cde Makgatho came from GaMphahlele. The province is also home to many outstanding cadres of our movement, such as Peter Nchabeleng, Elias Motsoaledi, Lawrence Phukanuka, Ntante Mampuru, Mark Shope, Cde Maleka, Flag Boshielo and Makgapatona. The younger generation included Peter Mokaba, Ignatius Mathebula, Ngoako Ramalepe, Frank Mohlala and Norman Mashabane. We also warmly welcome Limpopo veterans such as TT Tsholo, Ike Maphoto, Josh Phala, Parapara Mothupi, John Nkadimeng, Nelson Diale and Rashaka Ratshitanga. Our most sincere gratitude is extended to our comrades and friends in fraternal parties in SADC such as SWAPO, FRELIMO, MPLA and ZANU-PF and others. We also thank the representatives of international fraternal parties such as the Communist Party of Cuba, and others who graced the conference. I hope they all witnessed how internal democracy plays itself out in the ANC.

Most importantly, we salute isithwalandwe, Madiba whose message of support inspired and encouraged us. We look forward to his continued support and guidance.

Comrades and friends, the incoming NEC and I accept the mandate you have given us with a full understanding that you can withdraw it at any time, if you feel that we are not serving you in a manner that you want to be served. That is the essence of democracy. Leaders lead through the will and graciousness of the people.

Jacob Zuma
Polokwane
21 December 2007

Letter from the Outgoing President

From Limpopo to 2012!

This is the last Vol 7 edition of ANC TODAY and the last one for the year 2007. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to thank all our readers for the time they have spent every week to access and read this journal. At the same time, I wish our readers at home and abroad a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and a successful 2008.

Undoubtedly, the most important event in the political calendar of the ANC to close the year of the 95th anniversary of the ANC, which our National Executive Committee (NEC) had designated as "The Year to Intensify the Struggle against Poverty as we Advance in Unity towards 2012 – Phambili!", was our 52nd National Conference held at the University of Limpopo on 16-20 December.

The Conference concluded successfully, having adopted important policy decisions on a wide variety of matters and elected a new National Executive Committee. These decisions and leadership will guide the activities of our movement over the next five years, until the end of our Centenary Year, December 2012,

Issues of concern

Perhaps for the first time in our history, the NEC was elected on the basis of two competing lists, encompassing both the Officials and the Ordinary Members of the NEC. This suggested that these opposing lists were a manifestation of the existence of two opposed and contending tendencies in our movement.

And, indeed, especially on the first day of the Conference, December 16, various disturbing activities by the delegates during the open Plenary Session strongly suggested that the Conference was divided into two opposing factions.

Because of this, as the Conference proceeded, we received many messages from our people expressing grave concern. These had watched in dismay as some among the participants behaved in a manner that was completely alien to the traditions, the value system and the accustomed dignity of the ANC.

In his Closing Speech at the Conference, our new President, Comrade Jacob Zuma, addressed this matter of concern to our people. He said: "The occurrences of the first day of conference were indicative of internal problems that need to be sorted out without delay. The leadership must not fail to address problems within the organization. A lesson we have learnt from this conference, is that if the leadership fails to resolve issues, or to grasp the feelings of membership on issues that concern the movement and instead appears to perpetuate the problems, the membership takes over and assert its authority in ways that we may not be comfortable with. However we must endeavour to always relate to each other in a comradely manner, regardless of how strongly we feel about issues."

Immediately preceding these comments, referring to the "internal problems" he mentioned, Comrade Zuma said: "In the political and organizational reports, Cde Mbeki, former President of the ANC and Cde Kgalema Motlanthe, former Secretary General, referred to the many unresolved issues that still plague the organization."

Policy stability

However, despite these "internal problems", Comrade President Zuma said: "We have taken various resolutions at this conference, which will guide us on our way forward. ANC policies, including economic policies that have been adopted at this conference do not indicate a fundamental shift from the policies that the ANC has adopted since it has come into power. Let me reiterate that decisions with regards to policies in the ANC are taken by conference and not by an individual."

This served to underline the point, correctly, that there are no policy differences or serious contention about our way forward within the ANC, which could give birth to two opposing factions that would inevitably engage in a deadly contest, as was suggested by the unacceptable behaviour as we started our Conference, and the reality of two opposing election lists.

Comrade Zuma’s comments also served to make the correct point that the 52nd National Conference had confirmed the correctness of the basic strategic thrust of the process of reconstruction and development that has guided our actions as a ruling party during the 13 years since the first democratic elections of 1994.

Struggle for unity

Further to emphasise the point that indeed the ANC was not made up of enemy factions, Comrade Zuma said: "With that process (of electing the NEC) having been finalized, we need to remember that this was not an ANC Conference of victors and losers.

"As the newly elected NEC we will endeavour to work with all the comrades who did not make it to this NEC to ensure that the unity of the ANC is strengthened. We are all ANC members who just happened to prefer a different set of leadership collectives as it is our democratic right. It is our collective task to repair whatever damage or harm may have been caused as we were building up towards the conference.

"Let me emphasise that the leadership collective will serve the entire membership of the ANC, regardless of whether a person voted for Thabo Mbeki or Jacob Zuma or any other member or leader. We cannot have a Zuma camp or a Mbeki camp. There is only one ANC. None among us is above the organization or bigger than the ANC."

Earlier he had said that despite the fact that members had contested various ANC leadership positions, "contending positions does not make us enemies."

As we prepared for the 52nd National Conference, many in the media and our society as a whole inquired about what it was that led to various members of our movement to behave and speak in a manner that firmly indicated that we were in fact a house divided! At all times, as confirmed by the Conference, and correctly reported by our new President, we insisted that there were no differences within the ANC about our policies, strategies and way forward.

It may therefore very well be that the matter at issue was and is what Comrade Zuma referred to as "internal problems that need to be sorted out without delay". To indicate what these might be, specifically he drew attention to comments made in the Political and Organisational Reports.

Fortunately, Comrade Zuma made the undertaking that the new NEC would act without delay to address these "internal problems". In this regard he said: "Going forward, we commit ourselves as the incoming NEC collective that we will never allow any problem to go unresolved. Every problem or issue must be discussed thoroughly and be resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned."

The envisaged thorough NEC discussions will undoubtedly help to resolve the "internal problems" to which Comrade Zuma referred, especially since the National Conference did not have time to discuss these, including those specifically mentioned in the Political and Organisational Reports.

In his Closing Speech, again correctly, our President went out of his way to assure everybody at home and abroad that there was no need to be worried about the outcomes of our 52nd National Conference. Concretely, he said:

"There is likely to be anxiety regarding the existence of two Presidents, one of state and the other of the party. There is no reason for uncertainty or fear in any quarter. Cde Mbeki and I, both as members of the ANC first and foremost, will develop smooth working relations between government and the ruling party, assisted by the leadership collective."

A complex transformation process

Our democracy is only thirteen-and-a-half years old. Because of the kind of society we inherited, the intricate history that defined that society, counter-posed with the tasks that the National Democratic Revolution had to set itself, it was inevitable that in the aftermath of the democratic victory, we would have to embark on an extremely challenging process to transform literally every aspect of our national reality. We must therefore expect that every new day may present us with new realities and new knowledge of everything around us.

I have no hesitation in saying that ours has been and is one of the most complex processes of social transformation experienced by the whole of humanity throughout the decades since the end of the Second World War.

Among other things, this means that we, who are blessed with the opportunity to lead this process of fundamental change, will necessarily make mistakes as we march forward, constantly discover new realities that will oblige us to change our interventions, and create new realities that give birth to new challenges.

Thus the uninterrupted process of fundamental change we are seeking to describe cannot but assume the nature of, at least, an unstable equilibrium. The changes we must effect necessarily mean that continuously the reality we seek to change changes, making it necessary that we too change the ways in which we act as agents of change. And indeed the question may very well arise as to whether today’s agent of change will remain an agent of change tomorrow!

Put differently, what I am discussing is a process driven by inherent contradictions. Let me use the ANC itself to illustrate the difficult phenomenon to which we have to respond.

Objectively, the democratic victory of 1994 meant that we had entered a new phase of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) that would be more complex than the preceding first phase, when we engaged in a difficult and protracted struggle to defeat the colonial and apartheid regime and system.

High calibre political cadres

Logically, this meant and means that the current and second phase of the NDR demands that our movement, the principal agent of change in our country, should be composed of cadres of the highest political calibre, capable of leading the complex and multi-faceted process of change that is inherent to the fundamental social transformation that must characterise the current phase of the NDR.

However, the second phase of the NDR meant and means that membership of the ANC does not carry the cost of banning, banishment, imprisonment, torture, exile and death that confronted our movement during the first phase of the NDR.

Instead, membership of the ANC holds out the promise of significant personal material benefit. This is because membership of our movement signifies the possibility of access to state power and the abuse of this access to accumulate personal wealth by corrupt means and through theft and embezzlement at the expense of the people.

Because it was the best expression of the hopes of the masses of our people for freedom, during the first phase of the NDR our movement attracted into its ranks thousands of genuine patriots who were ready and willing even to sacrifice their lives to secure the liberation of our people. The cost that attached to membership of our movement served as a filter that protected the ANC from large-scale invasion by opportunists and careerists.

To the contrary, and precisely at the historical moment when the ANC needs cadres of the highest political and moral calibre, and because of the benefits that can accrue from membership of our movement as well as the elimination of the threat of repression, we have attracted into our ranks the opportunists and careerists who would never have had the courage and devotion to principle that were required of our cadres during the first phase of the NDR.

The first phase of the NDR required our cadres to make enormous sacrifices, including losing their lives. However, it attracted patriots who were ready to make these sacrifices. The second phase of the NDR opens the way for our members to reap immense personal benefits. Thus, though requiring cadres of the highest calibre, it attracts into its ranks people who are contemptuous of all notions of patriotism and serving the people, who are driven by a value system characterised by the pursuit of personal wealth at all costs.

Undoubtedly, some of the "internal problems" that created the apparent divisions and conflicts before and during the 52nd National Conference originated from this contradiction. Fundamentally to solve them will require that the ANC strengthens itself enormously as an agent of fundamental social transformation capable of carrying out the tasks of the second phase of the NDR.

The thorough discussion within our movement, to confront our "internal problems", to which Comrade Zuma committed all of us, will constitute a critically important step towards the realisation of this goal.

Forward to 2012

In my Political Report to the 52nd National Conference, I said: "Again, the 52nd National Conference will have to ask itself a very direct question and answer this question honestly and frankly – does the ANC have the will and capacity to lead our country and people over the next five years in a manner that will enable the nation to celebrate our Centenary in 2012 together, paying heartfelt tribute to our movement:

• for what it has and would have done to sacrifice everything for our liberation; and,
• using that freedom to lead the national offensive to accelerate the advance towards the creation of a South Africa that truly belongs to all who live in it!"

As we expected, the Conference answered this question in the affirmative. The task ahead of us as a movement will be to act together in unity, respecting all the outcomes of the 52nd National Conference. This will ensure that we use the few years leading to the celebration of the Centenary of the ANC in 2012 truly to accelerate the advance towards the achievement of the goal of a better life for all our people.

We, genuine patriots and members of the ANC, have the unique responsibility and duty to ensure that the ANC is the kind of revolutionary movement that has the capacity to lead the sustained offensive for the realisation of this goal. We congratulate our President, Comrade Jacob Zuma, and the rest of our leadership elected by our 52nd National Conference, which will lead our movement and country as we advance to the celebration of the historic Centenary Anniversary of the people’s movement, the ANC.

Thabo Mbeki

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