Gwede Mantashe. Picture: Moneyweb
The ANC’s top brass has taken its might to the embattled province of the North West to assess progress made in rebuilding the party structures.
The party’s National Working Committee – including the top six – will visit different parts of the province on Monday. The party is gearing up for the 2021 local government election campaign, as well as its national general council.
The province has been under administration since 2018, and numerous municipalities have also been placed under administration.The collapse of service delivery, financial distress, and political instability have been cited among the reasons behind the intervention.The late Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu said none of the province’s municipalities had achieved a clean audit.
In July, News24 reported on how squabbles between long-warring factions within the province had ended being fought in courts.
Four party members, including the former secretary of the Dr Ruth Mompati region, Gaolatlhle Kgabo – a member of the mayoral committee (MMC) in that municipality – lodged papers against the ANC at national, provincial and regional levels.They claim the 2018 disbandment of the region was an infringement of their rights as party members, as well as their constitutional rights to freedom of association.
An interim provincial committee was appointed last year after the provincial executive committee was dissolved following days of protests by members and communities in the province.
President Cyril Ramaphosa had taken it upon himself to help bring about unity and stability in the embattled province by being part of a rapid response team.
Speaking in the Dr Ruth Segomotse Mompati region on Monday, party chair Gwede Mantashe encouraged councillors to work with traditional leaders.
He said this was to ensure that development in the province was for the entire community.
Ramaphosa is expected to visit Rustenburg, while his deputy David Mabuza and deputy secretary-general Jesse Duarte will take their tour to the Dr Kenneth Kaunda region.
Secretary-general Ace Magashule and treasurer-general Paul Mashatile are visiting the Ngaka Modiri Molema region in Mahikeng.
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