101 vets give ANC hope
THE meeting between the 101 veterans and the national working committee of the ANC was the best news we have had in some time and represents a major positive breakthrough in stabilising the ANC.
Stability in the ANC is of vital to the country because it translates into political stability – a key element in development. Left unattended in the organisation instability would lead to the same condition Zimbabwe is in or worse.
The fact that the meeting took place at all in the midst of the bloodletting we have experienced, should inspire hope that the internal strife gripping the ANC is being addressed in a rational way through dialogue.
Moreover, the leadership involved in this initiative has credibility in civil society, a key factor in winning back the people’s trust.
The meeting was a diplomatic coup for the veterans as it gave us a starting point towards for a solution. It is already bearing fruit with more meetings envisaged, which means more dialogue that may translate into solutions. This alone removes uncertainty and gives hope that the ANC is on the mend. The dialogue also seems to have been candid regarding the difficulties facing the party without triggering discord. On the contrary there rather seemed to be a commitment on all sides to finding solutions. Avoiding difficult issues never solves anything. All parties agreed to the time tested consultative conference so as to continue building the ANC. More importantly the meeting may improve our political image at a time at a time when our economy urgently needs good news. Our image has taken a beating over perceived political instability. A rational self correction process by the ruling party should calm the concerns.
Political problems and scandals will always exist, but the ability to prevent them from escalating to affect a nation’s stability gives confidence in the future of the country.
For us as society perhaps it is time to give the current process of dialogue in the ANC a chance to work. That may include holding back on our judgments on the president’s future. By participating positively in the dialogue he has now become part of the solution. By not insisting on pre-conditions to