ANC top brass in EC for post-poll deliberation

ANC branch leaders in the Eastern Cape will be given time to question or endorse some of the party executive’s decisions when the national executive (NEC) visits the Eastern Cape this weekend.

One decision is for the NEC not to single out anyone for the ANC’s poor showing in the August 3 elections, but instead take collective responsibility.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has already backtracked on that decision.

The Dispatch reported yesterday that instead, Ramaphosa said during the Reverend Makhenkesi Stofile’s funeral in Alice, that all NEC members should take individual responsibility for the poor showing.

ANC top brass, including secretarygeneral Gwede Mantashe and treasurerZweli Mkhize, were already in the province yesterday preparing to visit several regions this weekend, including Dr W B Rubusana in East London and the Nelson Mandela Metro, a metro the party lost to the DA during the elections.

ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said the visit was “more of a post-election assessment wherein branch leaders will be allowed to reflect on the party’s performance in their areas, while the NEC delegation will reflect on the overall performance in general”.

Mabuyane said a whole range of areas would be covered. Among the recent NEC decisions was that of not singling out President Jacob Zuma for the party’s poor showing.

“Branch Executive Committees will be allowed space to interrogate and reflect on the outcomes of the elections and the decisions the NEC took subsequently.

“This is not a one-way approach. The NEC is here to share information but also to listen to branches what they have to say about the status quo,” Mabuyane said.

Other regions to be visited are Chris Hani, as well as Amathole, where disgruntled stakeholders in areas such as Mnquma have written to Mantashe calling for the head of the newly elected mayor Thobeka Bikitsha. (See main report).

Mabuyane said the NEC delegations would be divided into groups of five to be able to reach all four regions this weekend.

“This visit is not unique to the Eastern Cape but a countrywide programme for the NEC to keep in touch with branches.

“The NEC will first get briefings from regional executives before being locked in meetings with branch executive committee members.”