Newly elected ANC EC leadership must address extreme poverty – Ramaphosa

African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa called on the newly elected leadership of the party in the Eastern Cape to address extreme poverty.

Ramaphosa delivered the closing remarks of the ANC’s provincial elective conference in East London on Monday.

Oscar Mabuyane was re-elected as Provincial Chairperson of the party after beating his rival, public works MEC Babalo Madikizela by 812 votes to 662.

Other delegates who were elected to the top five include Mlungisi Mvoko, who was elected as Deputy Chairperson; Lulama Ngcukiatobi elected as Provincial Secretary; Helen August elected as Deputy Provincial Secretary; and Zolile Williams elected Provincial Treasurer.

Ramaphosa told the ANC leadership and delegates that only they can lead the Eastern Cape out of poverty and job creation should be the focus of the party’s new leaders.

“Greater advantage should be taken of the province’s strengths in sectors such as tourism, agriculture and agro-processing and industries such as the automotive sector to increase employment.”

“This province is endowed with many comparative advantages and home to a number of industries, which must be leveraged to create more jobs and lift people out of poverty,” Ramaphosa said.  

The ANC president said the Eastern Cape, together with national government, must also move with greater speed to address the province’s poor and ageing infrastructure.

Ramaphosa said the party had a very successful conference despite it being marred by a number of issues including a court application, threats to collapse the sitting and a deadlock over credentials.

“Like all conferences, it had its own hiccups, this is what democracy is all about. It gives you a number of things that you may not have expected.”

Ramaphosa said the conference was a huge milestone for the ANC.

“It moves the whole renewal process and project forward. With this, we’ve put a very strong foundation stone to enable other provincial conferences to go smoothly, but here to enable us to consolidate unity and renewal process.”

Ramaphosa said the ANC is bigger than all its members and they must, at all times, place the interests of the organisation before their personal interests.

ALSO READ: Oscar Mabuyane re-elected as ANC Eastern Cape Chairperson