NEC agenda unveiled: Integrity Commission terms and case closures in focus

African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has confirmed the party will meet at the end of this week to finalise outstanding cases before its integrity commission.

Mbalula was speaking at an ANC gathering in Johannesburg to commemorate the life of an ANC stalwart Albertina Nontsikelelo Sisulu in Johannesburg on Monday.

“This National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will focus on two things. The first issue will be to finalise the terms of reference of the integrity commission and to finalise all the outstanding cases of integrity that were presented in front of the National Executive Committee (NEC).”

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He said this move was essential to the rebuilding and renewal of the party.

“Gone are the days where the ANC will be complicit, ambiguous about the fight against corruption.”

Step-aside rule

Mbalula also said the introduction of the controversial step-aside rule was another indicator that the party was serious about dealing with corruption.

“Today many of our comrades when arrested are required by the law to step aside. Renewal is painful like that.”

He says party members who have been arrested and charged should clear their names in the courts for the sake of the organisation.

“Gone are the days when ANC members will wear T-shirts to support comrades who are facing charges. The ANC belongs to the people. The time for misbehaving is over.”

State of the ANC

He said the NEC will also deal with a diagnostic report on the state of the ANC.

“In the elections, we said we suffered a strategic setback for the first time the ANC dropped below 50%. We will examine the state of the organisation.”

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He said he appreciated the effort by branches and leaders of the party in the elections, but admitted the ANC had “failed”.

“We are not at the level we are supposed to be as the ANC. The National Executive Committee (NEC) will take stock of this state of organisation.”

Quality cadres

Mbalula said after the NEC meeting, the party would strengthen political education for members and government deployees.

“We are now all going to go through political education, foundational. We must not all assume we all know where we are going.”

He said the ANC would embark on a “qualitative development” of ANC comrades focusing on producing quality leaders.

“We organise thousands and thousands of members but amongst them we know very few will understand the pathway of the liberation struggle.”

Mbalula said the ANC would also rebuild the party in Gauteng after a disappointing performance at the this year’s polls.

In Gauteng, the party received around 34% of the provincial votes.