Make changes for the better in province too

THE state of the nation address by new South African and ANC president Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa was so inspiring and indeed reaffirmed the 54th national elective conference’s call of unity and renewal.

In the current phase, a number of previous objectives prevail, but there are new ones, which impact on the movement and its comrades. These require drastic changes and are, among others:

ý The democratic movement has attained elements of political power and it seeks to deepen this, but it has to do so under conditions of relative compromise such that the speed of transformation has to take into account the power of forces opposed to change;

ý Possibilities exist for national consensus around major questions facing the country and yet if this is not properly defined, it can conceal deep-seated contradictions and encourage co-option of the transformative agenda by the status quo before.

In the same vein, within the ANC the tendency is developing in which positions in government and the ANC itself are seen as platforms for acquiring resources and that leads to deep divisions.

Therefore, in both the Eastern Cape provincial elective conference and the 54th national elective conference we chose leaders who will put people first before themselves and their families.

As we welcome the president’s Sona, we welcome the swearing-in of Eastern Cape provincial chairperson Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane and his deputy provincial chairperson, Mlungisi Gerald Mvoko.

We are now developing new skills and capacity in various strategic areas at an impressive pace.

The swearing-in of these two Eastern Cape provincial leaders as MPLs is warmly welcomed and progressive.

It must be speedily followed by the Eastern Cape cabinet reshuffling to ensure fast transformation and the reshuffling must not be seen as purging nor politics of revenge. In the ANC we deploy and redeploy. No one is married to a position of deployment and there is no entitlement attached merely to status but a responsibility given by the ANC at a certain period. I welcome these changes. It’s truly a renewal. For the new ANC’s call for unity and renewal to be achieved totally or faster in this province, some ANC regions such as Amathole, Dr W B Rubusana, Nelson Mandela and Joe Gqabi must be disbanded.

Their leadership is so divisive and undermining.

We are now in renewal so it requires fresh and sober individuals who are eager to prioritise the ANC over their selfish interests.

Viwe Sidali, ANC Mzwanele Fazzie branch, former ANCYL REC Buffalo City metro region