Mbete calls for restraint

Presidential hopeful and ANC chairperson Baleka Mbete told KwaZulu-Natal delegates yesterday not to belittle themselves or the ruling party at the upcoming national conference.

“We must focus on those things that mean the most to our people, like the issues faced by the poor. These things mean the most to the ANC. We will not be at each other’s throats,” she said, to cheers from the crowd.

Mbete was opening the twoday provincial general council (PGC), which acts as a precursor to the national conference to be held at Nasrec, Johannesburg, in a fortnight. The PGC will announce the preferred candidate to take over from outgoing ANC president Jacob Zuma.

KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo are the only provinces still to announce their preferred candidates. The Limpopo PGC also began yesterday.

Mbete said that although new leadership had taken centre stage with media and analysts, it was just one aspect of the 54th national conference.

“The nomination of candidates is an item on the agenda, but it is only one item. Our priority is to respond to the needs of our people. We must focus on the needs of our people and what our branches want; branch members live among our people,” she said.

“After policy adoptions and programmes of action, we apply our minds to the ANC cadres that will lead us in the next five-year cycle.”

Mbete also shared with delegates what happened at the socalled “last supper” last week where all ANC presidential candidates dined with Zuma.

“That last supper, as it has been called, was so constructive and healing. It felt like an extended family gathering and a feeling I haven’t experienced for a while came back to me – of being whole again,” she said.

The mood at the dinner was “relaxed, comradely and healing” she said, and a collective decision was taken that delegates will not wear clothes that reflect their preferred candidates or to sing divisive songs.

“We have asked provincial leaders to commit to leading their provinces at the conference in a disciplined and constructive way,” she said. Everything at the conference should reflect the values of the ANC.

Deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa currently leads the race on 1 305 nominations, with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on 987. – ANA