ANC, DA call off key huddles
The ANC is postponing all its upcoming gatherings, including its midterm conference, the national general council, as the country launches efforts to deal with the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa said the decision to postpone all conferences was taken at an extended national working committee meeting on Monday.
“Provincial conference, regional conferences, the national general council of the ANC, conferences of the youth league, our provinces and the women’s league are all postponed until further notice,” the party’s leader declared.
“The extended national working committee agreed to comply with the prohibition announced yesterday [Sunday] that we should not have meetings of more than 100 people.”
Ramaphosa addressed the media as ANC president less than 24 hours after he declared a national state of disaster. On Sunday the president announced sweeping measures to help contain the spread of the virus, which included travel restrictions on foreigners from hard-hit countries, a ban on mass gatherings of more than 100 people and the closure of schools.
The official opposition, the DA, has also announced that it is postponing its policy conference, which was scheduled to take place on April 4 and 5.
A decision on the much anticipated federal congress, which is due to be held on May 30-31 to elect the DA’s new leadership, will be taken at a later stage, DA federal council chair Helen Zille said, “with the proviso that it must be held after the policy conference”.
Zille said the party’s federal executive resolved that the DA will abide strictly by the guidelines for meetings and other forms of social and professional interaction outlined by Ramaphosa on Sunday evening.
Ramaphosa said on Monday that just because conferences were cancelled did not mean that the ANC is no longer at work.
The party is to carry out door-to-door visits in communities to educate people about the Covid-19 virus and would distribute pamphlets, which had to be done in person, the president said.
“The ANC does not go to sleep, the ANC does not die. If there is any time the ANC must get down to work, now is the time.
“As a leader of society, we are now called upon to lead society in a variety of ways, particularly when mobilising the public to understand the impact of the coronavirus.”
Ramaphosa, as ANC president, said he would be meeting with political parties in Cape Town to discuss how they can all in a nonpolitical way approach the virus and the crisis the country is facing and work together.
“This is not the time to politicise this virus,” Ramaphosa said, adding that right now the government had things under control and would raise its game.
“We are better prepared now and as we move forward, we will become more prepared for the effects of this virus,” the president said.
Meanwhile, the IFP announced it would be cancelling its 45th anniversary celebrations set for Saturday.
April 4 The day the DA’s policy conference was meant to start