1 September 2004
On 01 August 2004, the PEC released the Base Document as the first Discussion Document that sets the context for the debates that should unfold in the run-up to the Regional Conferences and the 9th Provincial Conference. The Base Document was debated, refined and finalised at the PEC Political School held on 16 -17th July 2004.
Since then, interesting discussions and robust debates have been taking place in the structures of the movement in the province. The discussions have taken place and continuing to do so in a variety of forums - political workshop for all the REC's was held on 01st August, Regional Political Workshops held on 08th August, Zonal Political Workshops that took place between 15 and 29th August, and Branch General Meetings that are still underway. Further political discussions with the provincial structures of the Leagues and the Alliance as well as with different groups in the democratic movement and progressive sectors of civil society are planned for the month of September.
We have received very wide-ranging positive and critical feedback from our cadres and other sectors of the province on the issues raised in the Base Document. In particular, the feedback is taking up the following challenge posed by the Base Document:
"In the coming decade, we have to move to a situation wherein all cadres make it their duty to constantly understand what makes each community, region, and the province in which they live "tick". This comprehensive understanding of the context has to become a necessary ingredient of effective political leadership at all levels because without such an understanding, strategic and tactical interventions that advance the cause of the NDR will be very difficult" (page 3)
The manner in which different regions and branches of the movement has been very inspiring. All Regions have now developed their own Regional Perspective Documents that analyse the unique character of the region, how the regional economic, social, political and spatial landscape has changed in the past decade, as well as identifying the challenges for the next decade. Similarly and in varying degrees, Branches are also grappling with producing Branch Perspectives that seek to sketch the economic, social, political and spatial landscape within the Branch and as well as to identify the challenges that have to be confronted by the local ANC in building a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, united and prosperous society in the local context. All Branches are encouraged to develop their "Branch Perspective for the Next Decade" because this will be a very important tool for organisational renewal and will facilitate community work among grassroots activists and all public representatives.
These Sectoral Discussion Documents are continuation of the themes that arose from the Base Document. The overall aim of these Documents is to get our cadres to debate further and propose concrete ways in which we can tackle the challenges of building a better life for all and contributing to the building of a better Africa and a humane and equitable world order. These papers and the outcomes of the debates on them will constitute the basis for resolutions at the Regional Conferences and the 9th Provincial Conference. We hope the response to the issues raised by these Sectoral Papers will be as critical, robust and constructive as the response to the Base Document has been.
Forward to the 9th Provincial Conference! Forward with robust debate!
A review of the past ten years and an analysis of the challenges for the next decade points out clearly that unemployment and poverty stand out as the foremost challenges of our times. We cannot talk of a better future without decisively tackling these twin challenges. Secondly, transforming the state and building its capacity to act as a coordinated, cohesive and effective instrument of change is another important challenge. The mobilisation of all sectors of society, including their resources, behind a shared vision is another challenge. Such a vision should be a concrete expression of how the province intends to mobilise the different sectors of society around a people's contract to create work and fight poverty.
To tackle poverty and unemployment, we need both a transformed developmental state that works effectively with the different sectors of society behind a clearly articulated shared vision. This requires that we translate the Manifesto into an overarching shared vision around which the state, civil society, communities and the private sector shall work together in a people's contract to build a better future. This overarching shared vision will answer the question around the kind of Gauteng are we seeking to build - economically, socially, politically!
The 20th century, through the discovery of gold and diamonds in the reef and the consequent waves of South Africa's industrial revolution, catapulted the PWV region as the vanguard and key driving force of the country's socioeconomic development.
In the 21st century, the African Century, Gauteng has a very different role and responsibility as an industrial powerhouse of South Africa and the sub-continent. The democratic has an express constitutional and electoral mandate to advance South Africa's national development goals and the imperatives of the Africa's Renaissance. In this context, Gauteng province and all its endowments have to be understood as a national and continental strategic resource that must once more be in the forefront of South Africa and Africa's development objectives.
Gauteng has entered the 21st century with a possibility to play an even greater role an as interlocutor of South Africa's relationship with the continent and Africa's engagement with the global economy. According to the SA Cities Network Report, It is expected that, by the year 2015 Gauteng will be a continuous urban extent with a population of almost 15 million people, rivalling some of the world's largest mega cities. As the urban population grows and develops, fragmentation and marginalisation that results from the social, political and economic exclusion of the majority must be overcome.
Integration will be the key to unlock resources to halve poverty and unemployment. The possibility of unity in action as single developmental region is a significant opportunity available to the province: the political mobilisation of several interlinked cities (a polycentric urban conurbation) in the direction of an overarching developmental effort. This presents daunting challenges and fantastic opportunities.
During the First Decade of freedom, the ANC in Gauteng has gained a lot of experience in statecraft: the art of using state power and public resources effectively to bring about fundamental social change. However, we have not always clearly articulated a vision for the kind of province in which we want to live. This has weakened our capacity to focus all the arms of provincial and local government and different sectors of society on a clearly articulated set of political, economic and social outcomes.
As we enter the Second Decade of Freedom, we need an increased effort around a clearly articulated shared vision for a better future. Within the context of the national 2014 Vision outlined in the 2004 Election Manifesto, we shall hereunder outline elements of what should ultimately constitute a Shared Vision for a Better Gauteng. This vision shall be the basis on which different sectors of society and the state work together in a people's contract to build:
1) A province with a growing and labour absorbing economy in which the country's wealth is shared. Gauteng shall be in the forefront of the country's national effort to reduce unemployment by half through building a growing, integrated and globally competitive economy that meets the developmental imperatives of job creation, broad-based black economic empowerment, shared prosperity and an inclusive society. Workers, businesspeople, communities, women, youth, entrepreneurs, co-operatives shall be mobilised behind this vision so that they become active agents of economic transformation;
2) A province in which the war against poverty is being won and sustainable livelihood is becoming a daily reality for most people, particularly the poor. Gauteng shall occupy the front ranks of the country's national effort to reduce poverty by half through a combination of interventions that mobilise state resources, private capital and social capital among the poor to achieve the goals of sustainable livelihood within the context of an inclusive and caring society. Self-reliant initiatives among the poor such as micro enterprises and cooperatives shall be promoted and encouraged through sustained institutional support. The mobilisation of the poor into active agents of their own social emancipation shall be key focus of the democratic state, civil society and communities;
3) A province that is a beacon of participatory governance, with an informed, empowered and active citizenry, in which the people do indeed govern.
Different sectors of society shall be encouraged and empowered to participate in issues which affect their lives as well as be partners in the broader process of social transformation. Provincial government and municipalities shall promote active citizenship and participatory governance by giving sustained institutional support to all organs, forums, structures and processes that seek to make people's power a daily reality.;
4) A province that has made serious advances in human development wherein the population is healthy, educated, skilled and productive. Gauteng shall be in the forefront of contributing to the country's human development objectives through interventions that will lead to a sustainable provision of social infrastructure, healthcare, education and skills development that leads to an improved quality of life;
5) A province that has safe, secure, economically viable and environmentally sustainable communities. The province shall promote integrated human settlement patterns that are socially economically and environmentally sustainable - wherein all have access to decent housing on well-located land and there are no more informal settlements; wherein there is access to social amenities and public transport; wherein there are viable local economies in SMMÉ's and Cooperatives play an important role. Communities shall be mobilised so that they become active agents for sustainable development and fundamental social transformation;
6) A stable, safe and secure province in which the people live in peace and friendship. Gauteng shall strive to be a good example of successful and enduring partnership between the state, private sector and communities in the common goal to achieve a society that in which there is safety and security for all and province free from all forms of crime and corruption;
7) A province in which gender equality and full emancipation of women is becoming a daily reality in all spheres of life. Gauteng shall strive to be a good example of the progress towards the full emancipation and empowerment of women in that women are playing a key role in all sectors of society. Women shall be mobilised so that they become active agents of their own emancipation;
8) A province that is a beacon of integrated youth development and progressive youth activism in all spheres of society. Gauteng shall strive to be a good example of integrated youth development and active participation of youth in the economy, society and politics. The youth shall be mobilised so that they become agents of youth development;
9) A province in which all children enjoy human rights. The protection, care, holistic development and their safe and healthy upbringing of children shall be the common concern of the government, communities and households. Children shall be encouraged to take part in different cultural activities that enhance their own development and raise their level of awareness about key issues affecting their communities and society;
10) A province in which the elderly are treated with dignity and they enjoy all the benefits of living a caring and humane society. The elderly shall be engaged in different activities that integrate them in broader society and keep them healthy and happy;
11) A province in which people with disability enjoy human rights and are integrated into all spheres of life. The promotion of the rights and dignity accorded to people with disability in a caring and humane society shall be encouraged and while their equitable treatment shall be promoted in the economy, society and politics. People with disability shall be mobilised and organised so that they actively become agents of their own and society's development;
12) A province in which the imperatives of environmental protection and sustainable use of natural resources are an integral part of our social and economic transformation agenda;
13) A province that is a home to Africa's best artistic, sporting, and cultural talent. Gauteng provincial government, municipalities and different sectors of society shall place the promotion and development of arts, sports and culture at the centre of nation-building, socio-economic development and social transformation in general. Different sectors of society shall be encouraged to participate in arts, sports and culture and community-based arts, sports and culture shall be promoted;
14) A united province which is a beacon of nation-building and a non-racial society. Gauteng shall strive to be a good example of the progress that is being made in the deracialisation of the economy, politics, social institutions and communities;
15) A smart province that is the hub of Africa's scientific and technological revolution and is successful in bridging the digital divide. Gauteng is already enjoying huge ICT infrastructure and the province has to be at the centre of the struggle to end the digital divide by ensuring that science and technology are harnessed to facilitate progressive social change. Gauteng provincial government and municipalities, civil society, various sectors of communities shall further position themselves to take the fullest advantage of the benefit of information and communication technology in pursuit of sustainable development, quality service delivery and popular participation;
16) A city province characterised by a seamless and integrated approach to governance and a holistic, compassionate and responsive government. All spheres of government in Gauteng shall strive to function a single entity with integrated approach to service delivery, economic planning and social development, facilitated by an effective system of inter-governmental relations that is based on enhanced and revised roles of national, provincial and local government, with a single system of metropolitan local government;
17) A province in which the prevailing social values are those underpinned by progressive humanist values of co-operation, solidarity, respect for human life, equity and justice;
18) A cosmopolitan province that celebrates diversity in the true spirit of being a cradle of humankind and a home to all citizens of the world. Gauteng shall promote a climate of cultural, racial, religious, linguistic, ethnic tolerance and diversity in which all South Africans, Africans, and citizens of the world can live in peace and friendship. There shall be mobilisation against all forms of discrimination and intolerances such as xenophobia, religious intolerance, racism, ethnicity, homophobia, etc.;
19) A province plays an important role in Africa's Renaissance and contributes actively to the building of a better world;
20) A province in which the ANC organisational structures and the ANC-led democratic forces are positioned to remain the principal agents of transformation. The ANC structures and the Alliance and progressive civil society shall strive to achieve highest possible level of social mobilisation and the best quality of organisation. The progressive forces shall be rooted among the masses in all communities of the province, across all national groups and social classes and remains a mass movement and governing party that keeps society actively mobilised in social change;