ANC policy conference ‘could lead to public spat’ among members of two factions

The ANC national policy conference, which starts today, could lead to a public spat among members of the two factions and there is doubt whether the party can unite on some of its significant policies.

Bones of contention include the step-aside rule and nationalisation of the SA Reserve Bank. Various policies which will be adopted at the ANC’s national conference in December are expected to be discussed at the conference, which ends on Sunday.

According to political economy analyst Daniel Silke and fellow analyst Dr Ralph Mathekga, there was nothing sensible in the policy documents issued by the ANC.

Silke said there was no clarity on fundamental ideological issues, including the role the state must play, the ANC’s definition of the developmental state and how it intended dealing with malfunctioning state-owned enterprises. The party was unsure whether to privatise, partially privatise or sell the assets, lock, stock and barrel.

“I think there continues to be a great degree of internal contestation on the issue of the role of the state and type of economic policy needed,” Silke said. “There is still contestation on the issue of redistribution versus growth-oriented policies.”

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He said there was likely to be a face-off between the two factions. “The step-aside issue has become a proxy fight between those who support [party president Cyril] Ramaphosa’s view – project renewal, being tough on corruption and … unsympathetic on [former president Jacob] Zuma – versus those who have clearly been involved in malfeasance, named in the Zondo report [into state capture] and see Zuma as their hero.”

Mathekga said: “The ANC is so divided it is unlikely the conference will be able to make substantive evaluation and concrete proposals from a pragmatic point of view.”

“On the step-aside rule … if the rule is applied with impartiality without favour, half of the ANC [leadership] will be gone because corruption in the ANC and the level of impropriety from misdemeanours to serious corruption is so vast.”