RECLAIM MORALITY
PAUL MASHATILE calls on ANC members to evaluate the performance of their leadership ahead of the party s elective conference
ONE of the phenomena of our times that the ANC needs to pay attention to is the seemingly antagonistic engagements between the ANC government and its alliance partners, in particular the labour movement.
These antagonistic engagements take the form of vicious and often combative public spats, especially on issues where there seem to be disagreements.
These spats have the potential to erode public confidence in the ability of the ANC government to govern effectively and govern in the interest of the majority.
In this regard we may wish to engage in a thorough discussion on the role of the progressive trade union movement in the programme to build a national democratic society and a developmental state.
Over the past few years, we have seen our strategic opponents abusing the courts to undermine decisions of the ANC government.
They are doing this also to weaken the state and undermine the progress we are making towards building a national democratic society.
In response we must strengthen the capacity of the government to translate policy into effective legislation.
We must also ensure that our caucuses in all spheres of government are properly capacitated to execute their legislative functions effectively.
This will include improving research as well as oversight, monitoring and evaluation capacity.
In recent times we have also seen the DA embarking on campaigns that seek to erode the confidence of our people in the ANC government.
We must be clear that the activities of the opposition, in particular the DA, present another challenge, which is mainly about attempting to occupy our space at an aerial and ideological level.
We must remember that the DA is our strategic opponent.
We must therefore not be sympathetic to their programmes because their ultimate objective is to take over state power in order to advance their narrow, selfish neo-liberal agenda.
The DA is also using our methods to mobilise communities and make inroads into our strongholds.
The un-ANC behaviour by some of us, as well as our structures, is eroding the moral high ground of our movement.
Our task therefore is to reclaim this moral high ground by renewing the progressive values of our movement: the values of unity, selflessness, service, collective leadership, democratic centralism, internal debates, humility, honesty, hard work, constructive criticism and self criticism, discipline and mutual respect.
We must build an ANC that is not arrogant, that is accessible and listens to the people and is a home for all.
The ANC must at all times seek to build a broad societal consensus and mobilise society behind issues of common interest.
Like those who came before us, the new generation of leaders of our movement must demonstrate unrivalled integrity and passion to serve the people of South Africa and indeed all of humanity.
We must continue with the task of evaluating the performance of the leadership we elected in Polokwane. This we must do before we start with the process of considering names of individuals we want to nominate in Mangaung.
It is important that this process takes place within formal structures of the ANC and is not discussed in factional meetings.
We must use this period of renewal of the ANC to move away from slates drawn up in dark corners by ill-disciplined individuals who seek to subvert the ANC s
’ democratic processes.
Mashatile is Gauteng ANC chairman as well as Arts and Culture Minister. This is an edited version of his speech delivered at the ANC s provincial general council in Tshwane on Friday.