ANC veterans to help heal divisions

THE NEXT three months will be critical to ANC veterans as they criss-cross the country preparing for the consultative conference to discuss the challenges facing the party.

The party stalwarts said they would meet the ANC top leadership on Monday to thrash out ideas and propose a date for the national consultative conference, among other issues.

Yesterday, ANC veteran Frank Chikane said that between now and March they would consult inside and outside the organisation, with the ANC structures, alliance partners, religious group, NGOs and civic organisations.

The stalwarts were briefing the media in Joburg following the statement of the ANC national executive committee, delivered by President Jacob Zuma during the party’s 105th birthday celebration in Soweto on Sunday.

Chikane said they would also interact with young people and leaders of the #FeesMustFall movement as they needed to “listen to younger people in our country”.

They wanted the consultative conference to be held sooner as it could determine the direction the ANC would take in the build up to its policy and elective conferences later this year.

He said there were issues that might need to change in the ANC constitution about how the party elected its leaders. Chikane stated that they wanted to “influence” processes of change at the conference.

The cracks within the former liberation movement have widened over who should succeed Zuma as ANC leader when he steps down in December.

Some ANC structures, lobby groups and alliance partners have already pronounced on their preferred candidates to succeed Zuma, despite an ANC ban on the issue.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has the support of Cosatu and SA Communist Party, is facing a challenge from AU Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who has the backing of the ANC’s leagues, for the top job.

THE CRACKS HAVE WIDENED OVER WHO SHOULD SUCCEED ZUMA AS ANC LEADER WHEN HE STEPS DOWN IN DECEMBER