ANC to convene at EL’s City Hall

Delegates to attend provincial policy conference

HUNDREDS of ANC delegates from all the party’s eight regions in the Eastern Cape will convene tomorrow at the East London City Hall for the provincial policy conference.

This in order to craft the province’s standing on ANC policies to be discussed at the national policy conference next weekend in Johannesburg.

In East London, a battle of ideas on various policy issues – ranging from organisationaloriented policies to staterelated policies – will ensue.

The Saturday Dispatch spoke to at least six regions that appear to agree on matters of organisational renewal – in particular the proposed reduction of the party’s NEC to ensure quality not quantity.

The only contestation likely to unfold in this regard is by how much the 86-member highest decision-making body of the party should be cut.

Some members have proposed it goes down to 30 while many seem to agree it should be between 50 and 60.

Another area of agreement is social transformation, particularly health, where all regions agree that National Health Insurance which prioritises primary healthcare, is the future.

They however raised concerns about the pace within which the programme was being implemented.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is to propose the NHI be accelerated and the department not “use budgetary constraints as a reason for delay”.

However, the economic transformation debate is likely to have differing views and much contestation as some regions are extreme while others are mild in approach.

The O R Tambo region will be proposing a fully-fledged state-owned bank while Alfred Nzo is calling for the tender system to be scrapped while Sarah Baartman wants section 25 of the country’s constitution amended.

Nelson Mandela Bay and Amathole want nationalisation of mines and banks while Joe Gqabi is of the view that changes in how Treasury operates would be enough to transform the economy.

Joe Gqabi regional secretary Mfundo Bongela said: “Treasury must develop policy of how to assist SMMEs that have the capacity to do the work but lack financial resources.

“Such people must be assisted with some form of start-up capital which will ensure they are able to move from point A to point B but monitoring will be key.”

Other issues likely to trigger debate are education and the land. Largely, regions agree there should be free education up to an undergraduate qualification, but how it should be done is the ticklish question.

On land, although the “expropriation without compensation” narrative enjoys favour from all regions, the question of how is likely to be a bone of contention.

Others say land must be expropriated only for economic reasons while some say this should be done to give all citizens a fair share. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za