ANC Veterans back Kubayi for top seat
“This sitting comes at the time where we are trying to make sure we renew the party and win back lost municipalities."
Despite a rocky start at The ANC dialogue with party Veteran’s in Orlando East‘s Communal Hall, the packed venue pledge their support for The Minister of Human Settlements Mmamoloko Kubayi ahead of the ANC National Elective Conference in December.
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Kubayi who was scheduled to lead the dialogue with ANC veterans arrived after a two hour delay to veterans who were complaining of lack of water at the venue.
The veterans gave endorsement to the Minister to take up the Deputy President of the ANC in December and further called for a second term for Cyril Ramaphosa as party president.
Winnie Ndlovu, a Ward 11 Veteran’s Chairperson, said “We want to be respected and be acknowledged as the veterans. When it’s time to vote, they know where to find us because we are always there for the party.
“We want people like Nkhensani who will work for us and not people who will drive their own agenda. Today this woman came here and we have a place where we can heed our cries, she doesn’t sleep, attending to our cries as veterans.”
Ndlovu called for the organisation to take steps in formalising veteran’s structures as a matter of urgency.
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“The regional leadership has been refusing to recognise us. We are calling for a proper veterans league and we request that we have our own leadership from region to province and nationally.
“We already have 16 branches which have launched in Soweto and as the veterans, we don’t want to be observers at the conference but we want to participate and have voting rights,” she said to a cheering crowd.
Taking the podium, Minister Kubuyi said the party was prepared to renew itself and give support towards the veterans.
“I like when veterans come together and I will take it back to the president that we should support you. You are the pillars of this organisation and we should treat you as such.
“You know the foundation of this party and how we got here.
“When it’s door to door and within branches it is the veterans that are leading. We want to fix and enforce renewal as our president has said.
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She conceded that party factions where at the centre of the dysfunction of the party and cited this was the reason for the city’s challenges.
“Today factionalism has caused loss of municipalities and our kids are suffering. We lose them because of factions. We want the city to be ANC led and we will take it back to basics. We will serve the people and your concerns will be taken further,” she assured the veterans. “We will support and celebrate you, we have not forgotten you.
“The organisation is strong in Soweto because of you. We see in door to door, championing the message of the ANC that your loyalty towards the party is firm,” she concluded.
Former Mayor of Johannesburg Parks Tau also assured the veterans that the party was determined to win back the confidence of the masses and go back to its glory days.
He said the turning point for the organisation would be shown in the December elections.
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“This sitting comes at the time where we are trying to make sure we renew the party and win back lost municipalities.
“We want the renewal of the ANC, not for ourselves but for the people and development of our people in the townships.”
Kubayi who has endorsed Ramaphosa for a second term, was elected last month by the Tabane/Thabang branch of the ANC at Protea South Hall to run for Deputy President.
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