ANC ‘accidentally’ leaks notes from NWC meeting

Change of leadership and attendant issues. That’s the first item in a long list of “discussion” points for the ANC national working committee that sat on Tuesday night.

However, it does not seem as if President Jacob Zuma is going anywhere, with one item declaring: “Firm belief that they can remove President Zuma.”

The list was emailed from the ANC to its media mailing list and details, among other things, rebuilding trust in society, apologising for a display of unity and condemning the actions of alliance partners the SA Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu).

Both Cosatu and the SACP have called for Zuma to resign.

Shortly after the list – which reads more as a set of orders to be complied with than actual discussion points – an email from ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa dropped.

“The African National Congress has noted erroneous communication send to the ANC Media List from ANC Communications,” said Kodwa.

“This communication was sent out in error, is not an official statement of the ANC neither does it represent the views of the ANC,” Kodwa said, adding it should not be used for purposes of reporting.

However, it was widely circulated already on social media and as it concerns the president’s future, political stability and the pending financial backlash in terms of ratings agency possible downgrades, it is in the public interest.

“Markets should not dictate to the movement,” and pending pronouncements by Fitch and Moody’s also feature on the list.

The list has seemingly ominous overtones for former finance minister Pravin Gordhan’s tenure as a loyal ANC cadre, as he features several times on the list.

“Mobilising by Cde Pravin”; “Irreparable breakdown of the relationship between the President and Former Finance Minister”; and “Sustained contestation over the ANC and Treasury” give insight to what was happening behind the scenes.

The list also stipulates there is no change in fiscal policy – which raises the question, if Gordhan was implementing financial policy, why was he removed?

“The ANC will convene a media briefing tomorrow, 5th April 2017 to give feedback to society and the media on the outcomes of the National Working Committee as confirmed earlier,” said Kodwa.

Here are the full “leaked” notes from the NWC:

Meeting of the National Working Committee

4 April 2017

Change of leadership and attendant issues

Rebuilding trust in society

Management of Alliance tensions

Markets should not dictate to the movement

Officials managing NWC, defence of the ANC where National Office fails, Officials apologies for display of disunity, using Constitution where it suits them, explain your ill discipline

ANC must go back to provinces and explain

DP and President with IC who sought to meet with all the National Official

Current environment

View of the Officials that there has not been a discussion within the structures of this ANC on this matter, it was agreed that the Integrity Commission should allow for the leadership to engage on it

Letter raised – disowned by the IC and agreed that it shall be withdrawn

Measured approach to providing explanation to what transpired

Posture and how leadership projects itself

Condemn behaviour of SACP and COSATU

Cde Kathrada Funeral – manner in which some NEC members and Ministers behaved

Mobilising by Cde Pravin

Establishment of alternative platforms

Comments attributed to ANC Gauteng PEC

Motion of no confidence

All National Officials to address media briefing and Caucus

Policy certainty

Fiscal policy has not changed

Rated on the basis of political interests

Support to newly appointed deployees

Building of monitoring and evaluation capacity at Luthuli (institutionalisation, accountability framework)

Communication at Luthuli House must be for all

How do we understand the challenges facing us?

Behaviour of alliance partners hurting the organisation

Decisive behaviour by the officials

Divisions within the organisation

Tolerance to deviant behaviour

Entrench authority to lead

Leaks in the organisation

Silence of the Communications Team on newly appointed teams

Focus on ANC programmes, distractions created by Conferences

What should constitute minimum programme moving forward – speaking to the substantive issues

Exercise patience of different views, synthesise them to emerge what could be best way forward

We are weaker when we show divisions internally

Cannot just malign view that we differ with, must be entertained in a credible structure of the organisation

Prevail to give accountable and legitimate leadership to society

Engagement with comrades who have been removed

Propagate positivity in society

Reshuffle triggered resurgence of dead movement #ZumaMustFall

Firm belief  that they can remove President Zuma

Mobilised within the state, works with opposition, disgruntled ANC members

Who must determine the leaders and agenda of the ANC

Expectation of members of the ANC of the National Officials

Mobilisation is not a spontaneous act

Met reflected on the mater

Impact on the unity of the movement

Taken steps to correct these shortcomings

Minimise antagonisms within the movement

Review Political Committee and Strategising Committee

Public discord compounded by

Collectivism which will give support and credence to the process

Value the quality members bring to the debates

Multifaceted impact of the events

Complexities cannot be swept under the carpet

How do we deal with some of our comrades becoming part of a force united against us

Renew and rebuild ANC

Sustained contestation over the ANC and Treasury

Character assassinations in traditional and new media

Sustained destabilisation of the ANC since 2012

Contestation towards 2017/ National Conference repositioning

Pronouncements of the Leagues must be engaged by the National Officials

Unfortunate actions of the Integrity Commission

With humility, common appreciation of what we face as challenges

Restore confidence in society

Irreparable breakdown of the relationship between the President and Former Finance Minister

Overarching message of unity

Disassociate with mobilisation for discontent

Restore confidence in society

Fractured and ructions at the highest level

Overarching message of unity (not just the organisation but the country)

Nothing must be impossible or a challenge that is insurmountable for the ANC to manage. No choice but to find one another

ANC as a leader of society – social mobilisation, intended to weaken the ANC

Past four days have been very difficult for the ANC and the country

Prevailing contradictions. SA problem is a class struggle. Removal of the President willnot resolve such contradictions

Interests of the ANC and motive forces should be paramount

Leadership cannot be blind to the calamitous challenges we are facing, such would be dangerous to the NDR

Decision to downgrade SA was taken on Thursday before the reshuffle

Arguments based on political stability and policy certainity

Not weakness in the macro economic fundamentals

Would changes in the Executive mean changes in policy direction of the ANC

Perceived risks based on unscientific forecasts

ANc led government remains committed to same fiscal framework based on fiscal consolidation and the quest for inclusive growth

Continuining partnership with all societal partners

Decisive intervention required, struggle we must engage and work we need to do

Pending pronouncements by Fitch and Moody’s

Concern on impact on the poor

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