President Ramaphosa engaging with the media on Saturday, 2 September, at the Sandton Convention Centre. Photo: ANC
President Cyril Ramaphosa convened a high-level gathering at the Sandton Convention Center to discuss the future directions of the African National Congress (ANC).
Joined by a varied audience of editors, senior journalists, academics, and analysts, the president looked back at the party’s 2019 Manifesto to solicit input on what should be prioritised moving forward.
Ramaphosa began his address by emphasising the ANC’s commitment to involving the broader South African society in its policy and planning.
“The development of the ANC’s manifesto has never been merely an internal party exercise,” he said.
Drawing parallels to the party’s deep-rooted tradition of public engagement that dates back to the 1955 Congress of the People, Ramaphosa said this kind of societal engagement was in line with the “ANC’s tradition”.
“For many months before the Congress of the People, volunteers went out across the country to collect the demands that would become the Freedom Charter”, Ramaphosa said.
“We remember the extensive consultation process that preceded the adoption of our new democratic Constitution. The engagement today is part of that tradition.”
Ramaphosa was also confident about the party’s future electoral prospects, saying the ANC would garner a majority in the upcoming 2024 elections.
“The ANC is going to achieve an outright majority so be relaxed. […] We are confident that we are going to emerge victorious”.
He said the ANC was the party which brought about transformation, and people still see the party as the primary vehicle for change.
“The majority of the people who have always voted for the ANC and supported the ANC, still see the ANC as the only vehicle that, having commenced and started the transformation process in our country, can continue with it and consolidate and make it better.
“Many of our people don’t see other vehicles that can do so”, he stated.
Acknowledging the challenges, Ramaphosa was keen to stress that the ANC has not failed.
“We have not failed as a developmental state.
“There have been weaknesses, however, if you look right across the board we have great developmental interventions that have been achieved.”
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On the issue of potential coalition partnerships, Ramaphosa was clear: “If we have to choose a coalition partner, we will choose the ANC to be our coalition partner.”
As the ANC looks to the future, President Ramaphosa reiterated the importance of collective planning and open dialogue in shaping South Africa’s trajectory
Ramaphosa and his team will be at the Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday in what Mbablula described as an accountability exercise to all provinces and later to all voting districts.
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