ANC wants to tackle corruption head-on as it launches its policy discussion documents
JOBURG – ANC wants to restore its moral character
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ANC Head of Policy, Jeff Radebe said the party wants to ensure that deployment of cadres to the State is based on merit.
Radebe was speaking at the launch of the ANC’s policy discussion documents on 12 March at Luthuli House.
The party will hold its fifth National Policy Conference from 30 June to 5 July at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand. The conference reviews ANC policies and recommends new policy or amendments to existing policy for consideration by the National Conference which will be held in December.
Radebe highlighted the fact that the launch of the policy discussion documents opened the door for the general public, stakeholders, members and supporters of the ANC to play a role in contributing to policies and programmes that the party must pursue to drive radical economic transformation over the next five years.
Rooting out corruption is one of the priorities of the party, said Radebe. One of the proposals made in these documents is a specific call for lifestyle audits for senior public servants in the context of the fight against corruption.
The same document also suggests strengthening of the Presidency as a strategic centre of power in the State in order to drive the National Development Plan (NDP), planning and policy, resource allocation and enforcement.
Radebe also mentioned that the economic transformation discussion document reiterates the ANC’s commitment to fundamentally changing the racialised and unequal structure of the South African economy.
Reducing unemployment and youth unemployment specifically is one of the proposals put forward in the document to drive radical economic transformation. The same document also proposes the return of land that was illegally acquired and supports land reform.
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The organisational renewal discussion document touches on a number of internal challenges faced by the party, including social distance between leaders and members, widespread corruption, poor performance in government and abuse of organisational processes for personal gain.
Radebe said that if these issues are left unattended, it will contribute to the demise of the ANC. “This discussion document acknowledges that the ANC is increasingly losing the trust of the people as illustrated in the declining electoral performance and intense public criticism.”
He pointed out that the party needed to act urgently to restore its moral character, to win back the trust of the people and to ensure that the ANC is structured optimally to remain the leader for change.