ANC releases policy documents
THE ANC has promised to end corruption and infighting in an effort to rescue its waning public support.
This is contained in policy discussion documents released by the party yesterday ahead of its June policy conference. Branches now have to engage on the documents.
Justice Minister and ANC head of policy, Jeff Radebe, said the rift between leaders and the South African people was worrying.
Radebe said the “social distance between leaders and members, widespread corruption, poor performance in government and abuse of organisational processes for personal gain” would lead to the demise of the party.
He added: “The ANC is increasingly losing trust of the people as illustrated by declining electoral performance and intense public criticism. The organisation must act urgently to restore its moral character, to win back the trust of the people and ensure that the ANC is structured optimally, to remain the leader of the motive forces for change.”
In August, the party lost major metropolitan areas because of waning support. One of the ways, to improve the trust between leaders and people is the proposal for open contestation of elections.
The party proposes that the size of the national executive committee (NEC) be reduced and “that the organisation must limit the number of NEC members who serve in government, to ensure that ANC leaders are spread throughout all sectors of society.”
Radebe said the ANC also wanted to establish an “integrity and ethics management at all levels of government. The scope of this office must extend to the state-owned enterprises.
“There is a specific call for lifestyle audits of senior public servants within the context of the fight against corruption,” Radebe pointed out.
In terms of education, the party proposes that technical and vocational training be marketed as the first after-school choice for school leavers ahead of university education.
The party also proposes that by 2020 there should be a new financial support model to cater for “working-class and middle-strata students”.
This year, a ministerial task team on higher education is piloting the Ikusasa Financial Aid Scheme for “missingmiddle students”. If successful, it is expected to be implemented widely by 2019. Other proposals include: A targeted programme to assist black entrepreneurs in setting up small businesses and co-operatives.
Better regulation of the private sector to avoid pricefixing, unfair competition and unfair labour practises.
The Presidency must be strengthened as the strategic centre of power in the state and must drive the National Development Plan in terms of policy and resource allocation.
On the land issue, the policy document states that a process for updated expropriation-of-land legislation should be accelerated. “The success of land redistribution will be improved if there is greater oversight over land, farming equipment and technical skills transfer to the beneficiaries of land reform,” it is proposed.
Radebe warns of party’s demise over abuse of processes for personal gain