ANC ‘second transition’ document rejected

THE ANC in the Western Cape has become the latest provincial structure to reject the ruling party’s “second transition” document.

Presenting the outcomes of the ANC Western Cape Provincial General Council (PGC) yesterday, secretary Songezo Mjongile and chairman Marius Fransman said branches had resolved there should be no “disjuncture between the economic and political struggle”.

The “second transition” document, which calls on the ANC to focus more on social and economic transformation in the next 30 to 50 years as compared to the focus on political change in the last 18 years, has been the subject of intense debate in a number of provinces.

It has been flatly rejected by the majority of provinces that have held their PGCs including Limpopo, Gauteng, North West and reports indicate the Eastern Cape also opposes the proposal.

The rejection of the document by another province is a blow to President Jacob Zuma as it is a crucial tool in his bid for re-election as ANC president.

The document has also been questioned by his deputy Kgalema Motlanthe, who is now said to be ready to challenge Zuma for the top ANC position.

Mjongile said the document needed to draw from “the pillars of the National Democratic Revolution that there should be no disjuncture between the economic and political struggle”.

He said the “transition is an uninterrupted phase in character.”

Fransman said the ANC had never distinguished between political and economic struggles.

The Western Cape also came out in support of stronger state intervention in the economy and “ownership of strategic sectors to give effect to the ideals of the Freedom Charter.”

Although they didn’t say which “strategic sectors” needed to be owned by the state, this has been interpreted as support for the youth league’s call for the nationalisation of mines.

This will give another boost those planning to oust Zuma.

It also wants delegates at the ANC policy conference in Johannesburg next week to re-look the composition of provinces with a view to reducing them.

Mjongile said the current composition of provinces reflected old apartheid spatial planning.

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