The Nelson Mandela Bay ANC Regional General Council met this past weekend at the St Albans Correctional Services. Media representative, Ongama Mtimka was kind enough to send this summary of the weekend through:
Nelson Mandela Bay Regional General Council Declaration – St Albans Correctional Services:
We, the delegates of this Regional General Council of the African National Congress Nelson Mandela Region attended by 224 DELEGATES from branches of the ANC, Leagues, Veterans, Cosatu, SACP, Sanco, all other Mass Democratic Formations, National and Provincial leaders, gathered at St Albans Correctional Services on the 16 September 2011 reaffirm our commitment on the organizational renewal towards the ANC Centennial Celebrations in January 2012. We reaffirm the organizational wisdom of these 99 years of struggle, moving towards the 100 years of selfless struggle: working together to create a national democratic society.
Our RGC takes place against the backdrop of the many challenges confronting the ANC at all levels characterized by foreign tendencies and trends that are inconsistent with the culture and tradition of this great movement.
From the 59 branches across the length and breadth of our region, we have converged as proud representatives of the ANC, women and men, young and old, rural and urban, black and white.
The run-up to this Regional General Council involved Branch General Meetings of our branches, through audits of membership, and active participation by members of the ANC. These preparations were, in themselves, a process of organizational renewal building up to this RGC. This, in turn, has reaffirmed the central role of branches of the ANC, and the right of ANC members to determine policies, direction, and agenda of the ANC in the Nelson Mandela Region.
We adopted resolutions dealing with all areas of organizational renewal through social transformation, building local economies and, in so doing, creating employment and sustainable livelihoods; and in the process, building more united, non-racial integrated and safer communities, promoting community participation, media and communication and improving local public services.
The legacy of the past still imposes a heavy burden on South African society. As a disciplined force of the left, the ANC’s policies are rooted in the needs and aspirations of the overwhelming majority of South Africans, many of whom are the poor, marginalized youth, women, the aged, children, persons with disabilities, and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
The Regional General Council dedicated sufficient time to discuss the organizational report within the context of our objectives as inscribed in the Freedom Charter.
The RGC was frank in acknowledging that tendencies of ill-discipline and misconduct have set in within various structures of the movement and delegates resolved that this Regional General Council should mark a decisive turning point in addressing all such negative tendencies.
The RGC stated without fear or favour that there should be no confusing signals and messages from the leadership on matters of discipline.
This Regional General Council has further reaffirmed:
- That the ANC remains the strategic centre of power and the ANC must not trail behind the state on major strategic and policy issues.
- That the ANC should remain the servant of the people as both the ANC and the state belongs to the people.
- That nobody should be allowed to use the ANC or the state to pursue personal, sectarian or factional agendas
- That organizational renewal is the principal task of our time to prevent the degeneration of the movement.
- That discipline should be restored and cultivated in the values of the ANC and its ranks.
- That ANC should build, safeguard unity and cohesion.
- That the ANC must invest more time and energy in the development and strengthening of branches and the Leagues not on unnecessary peripheral squabbles, tensions, gossips, and slaughtering of its own members.
- That the responsibility to assert the core values and principles of our movement rests with every leader, every cadre, every member, and every supporter of the ANC.
- That the ANC deployees remain accountable to the ANC and that is not debatable and they must at all times carry the mandate of the ANC.
- That steps must be taken to improve the performance of government through greater integration and coordination of structures as well as the implementation of performance monitoring and evaluation.That the recognition of all heroes and heroines in the metro will always be coordinated by the Regional Executive Committee in close liaising with families and both National and Provincial ANC Offices.
Consistent with our strategic goals, this Regional General Council has emphatically confirnmed the relevance and necessity of the Revolutionary Alliance in the transformation of South African Society, and that we must pay particular attention to developing appropriate mechanisms to ensure that strengthening the alliance.
Once again, there can never be a strong ANC alongside a weak SACP and COSATU alike, and vice versa. For the ANC to live and lead, it must also strengthen its links and collaboration with mass democratic organizations and ensure that we build a broad popular front for faster change.
The Regional General Council noted progress made on all fronts of transformation, including the restructuring and modernization of our economy. Our macro-economic position has enabled to a particular extent our democratic government to direct more budgetary resources towards social spending and investment expenditure, including in infrastructure development, e.g. roads, free basic services, housing subsidies etc.
We acknowledge the need to strengthen alignment among the different spheres of government to ensure effective service delivery to the poor.
We must approach the 2014 national elections in the context of mobilization of our people towards consolidation to a democratic order and a better life for all, and we believe that this can only be achieved through an overwhleming victory for the ANC.
We must concentrate all our energies in a Campaign towards acquiring of ID’s, so that over 90% registration for the 2014 elections takes place.
To meet these objectives, the ANC will continue with its efforts to transform the state. The Regional General Council has therefore resolved to strengthen mechanisms of accountability on the part of all cadres working within various sectors.
The ANC will also intensify its programme to root out corruption in all spheres of society, including those in government, private sector as well as within the ANC itself.
Recognizing that these efforts cannot bear fruit if carried out by government and the ANC alone, RGC reiterated the position of the ANC to build strong links with community organizations, trade unions, religious bodies, business organizations and people with disabilities, women and youth structures as well as other organizations to ensure that, in actual practice, South Africans act as their own liberators.
The ANC and its allies need, on consistent basis, to challenge ideological outlooks and practices that can undermine our commitment to an ongoing national democratic revolution. Among some of the tendencies that can deflect us from our collective endeavour are neoliberalism and ultra-leftism.
The ANC will approach the forthcoming period as strong, vibrant and united organization, mobilizing our people to celebrate our hard-won victories, to draw critical lessons for the future, and to set out firm pointers for the progress that we need to make. This requires that ANC strengthens its role as the leading political force in the process of fundamental change in our society particularly of the poor.
Our Regional General Council expresses its appreciation for the hospitality shown by the St Albans Correctional Services. Our experience here confirms our conviction that, united in our diversity, we can, as compatriots and partners, construct a better tomorrow for all.
Special attention should be given to the Leagues, Northern Areas, Uitenhage, Peri-Urban Areas and all wards we lost. We must build and restore confidence back in those branches.
The 100 years of ANC existence celebrations in 2012 will be a turning point as we strive for the longevity and durability of an organ of development, transformation and liberation of the people.
The army of organizational renewal, social transformation, reconstruction, development and social progress is unstoppable.
Alan Straton
Latest posts by Alan Straton (see all)
- The Household Pest Mystery That Starts in the Roof - 25 October 2026
- The Holiday Souvenir Nobody Wants: Bed Bugs in the Luggage - 25 October 2026
- What Comes Out of a Rug Before the Washing Starts? - 25 October 2026
- Desktop Pop-Ups Become the Compliance Channel Email Cannot Deliver - 23 October 2026
- Desktop Pop-Ups Become the Compliance Channel Email Cannot Deliver - 23 October 2026
