Branches hold key to ANC unity

The ruling of the High Court in Pietermaritzburg in respect of the validity of the ANC KZN provincial conference in 2015 is perceived by alarmists as a crisis for the ANC.

In fact, it’s a vaguely defined crisis to say the least. The ANC has a long history of rising to the occasion in the midst of contradictions and tensions. For this reason, the prospect for rapprochement between complementary and contradiction is possible.

This means the judgment provides an opportunity for ANC members to return to their branches to reflect, to reconcile and to rebuild the organisation. Unity is built in branches.

Throughout the years, that unity has never been broken, despite a few splits influenced to a great extent by the devil of serving the interests of the self – hence the rise of ill-discipline from within. As we approach the elective conference, the ANC is crying out for its soul. The unity and integrity of the movement should be defended at all costs.

For this goal to be realised, it requires a radical organisational renewal from the branch level.

This is critical because it will impact on our capacity to mobilise society around the goal of a better life for all.

It’s therefore important to close ranks and confront what may inevitably be disruptive to the unity of our movement. However, the issues we need to tackle more decisively include the culture of personality, factionalism and corruption that remain pervasive. It’s in this context that anarchy should not be allowed to supersede the basic tenets of the national democratic revolution both outside and within the movement.

Morgan Phaahla,

Ekurhuleni

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