Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa and of the African National Congress (ANC) party, gives closing remarks as South Africa's governing ANC party concludes a national policy conference at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, July 31, 2022. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
Mashudu Sadike and Baldwin Ndaba
The ANC at the policy conference held at Nasrec and which concluded on Sunday in Johannesburg has recommended that the step-aside resolution be retained for the betterment of the party.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, closing the conference, said that the party needed to enhance the integrity of the movement and its leadership.
He said there was an overwhelming view from more than 2000 delegates attending the conference that the rule be retained.
“We have reaffirmed the resolutions of the 54th National Conference on corruption and state capture. The overwhelming view of the Policy Conference is for the retention of the step-aside provisions to enhance the integrity of the movement and its leadership.
“Conference noted strong concerns on the perceived lack of consistency in the application and implementation of the policy. Conference agreed that these must receive urgent attention so that the application of the guidelines is impartial, fair and consistent.
“Delegates have affirmed the ANC approach to the report of the State Capture Commission, and have urged that the findings and recommendations of the report form the basis of a society-wide effort to tackle corruption in all its forms,” Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa added that he was confident that the party would grow stronger going into the 55th elective conference expected to take place in December.
“Over the last three days, through intensive and thorough discussion, we have developed a series of policy proposals on how to achieve our revolutionary objectives.
“Some existing policies we have affirmed, some we have refined and some we have changed. These policy proposals will now go to the structures of our movement for further debate before being placed before our 55th National Conference for consideration and adoption.”
However, some delegates were not happy about the recommendations to retain the step-aside decision.
Former North West party chairperson Supra Mahumapelo, who was a participant, said that he felt that some delegates of the conference were suppressed.
He said: “I tried to speak at some of the commissions, especially about the step-aside. We will continue to speak to our branches and see in December. The ANC used to be vibrant. It's not what it is anymore. It’s dull,” Mahumapelo said.
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