Shouting the loudest, does not make one right

In answer to reports that the election of Nceba Faku is to be probed by Derek Hanekom of the ANC, the East Cape Regional leadership of the ANC Nelson Mandela Region, at a briefing at Florence Matomela House in Port Elizabeth today released the following statement to their Branch leaders and members of the media in an effort to “update you all on a number of issues as well as to correct some issues which have found themselves into the public domain.”

The full statement follows below:

We are gathered here today a full 5 weeks after the successful hosting of our Regional Conference at St Albans, where the delegates of the Branches of the ANC, expressed themselves on a number of areas including organizational renewal, matters of governance, ANC programmes and policy issues.

At the same Conference, the members of the ANC elected a Regional Executive Committee. Since the Conference, our REC has been hard at work to coordinate programmes emanating from the resolutions of the Conference.

Chief among these programmes was the hosting of the ANC Centenary Flame in Nelson Mandela Bay. As you know, the programme which took place over the weekend of 25-27 May 2012 was highly successful and the people of Nelson Mandela Bay again showed in their numbers their support of, respect for, and appreciation of the ANC as the oldest liberation movement, and one which has been at the forefront and centre of the struggle for a democratic, non-racial, non-sexist South Africa, continent and world.

The support shown during the Centenary Flame celebrations is a strong and undeniable indication that the ANC remains the centre and leader of the National Democratic Revolution, and will continue to be a strong mass-based people’s movement.

To this end, we continue to lead the debates, discussions and programmes on all aspects of life in this region, and our members continue to express themselves robustly and within the democratic platforms provided by the structures and protocols of the African National Congress.

All our members understand the democratic nature and ethos of the movement and subject themselves to its discipline and accountability. In this respect, we are therefore saddened to see that some among us have resorted to rumour-mongering and undisciplined commentary on a few issues. We suspect that among these are people who intend to destablisie our esteemed movement and to try to sow confusion among some unsuspecting members of the public. We wish to state quite emphatically that they will NOT succeed!  Ever!  Our movement remains a disciplined force of the people and no amount of false commentary will destabilize us, nor will it deter us from our path of the NDR and our leadership thereof.

We wish to categorically state that the Regional Executive Committee of the African National Congress of the Nelson Mandela Region is very much the ONLY legitimate properly-elected structure as the leadership collective of this Region. Anyone purporting anything to the contrary is lying to you!  Our REC has not been dissolved, disbanded or otherwise. Our REC is working tirelessly, day and night, in terms of our mandate as given to us by the Conference that elected us.

We understand that there are some who have objected to the Provincial Executive Committee about the Conference. It is normal practice that the ANC, being the epitome of democracy as it is, to listen to and process any objections or appeals that it receives, whether such appeal or objection has merit or substance or not. The PEC will pronounce upon this in due course. However, it is blatantly wrong to project the appeal or objection as putting us in “limbo”. We are NOT in any state of limbo – we remain the only legitimate structure of the ANC in this region, unless anyone has some compelling argument to say otherwise. In keeping with the ANC’s democracy, those with reservations about the Regional Conference are being heard, and have been given an opportunity to state their case to the PEC. But this is NO way means that we should stop or even pause our programmes and our leadership thereof. We have a duty to implement, manage and coordinate all programmes of the ANC in this Region, as mandated by the resolutions of the Conference and we will do with gusto and zest – we will never be strayed from our path, as this path is the one that was given to us by the rank and file members of the ANC of this region, named after uTata Madiba.

We also wish to state that any ANC members who are found to have transgressed the policies and code of conduct of the organsiation, by spreading lies and speaking out of turn, WILL be disciplined – without exception!  This is not a threat – this is an expression of our duty as leaders of the ANC in this Region. Our Branches have expressed their serious unhappiness with the ill-discipline that is being displayed by a very few. How can it be that the voices of a few undisciplined people – some of whom are not even members of our esteemed organization – can receive such coverage?  Is it because they shout the loudest?  Shouting the loudest, does not make one right. Nevertheless, we are following ANC processes in this regard, and if there are ANC members among them, they WILL be disciplined. Period.

As we sit here today, we are preparing for the welcoming of the President Jacob Zuma, when he graces our shores for National Youth Day on June 16th. As you know, the main event will be at Wolfson Stadium and we are confident of its success. Youth Day is a celebration and commemoration of the struggles and contribution of the youth in our country as the vanguard of the struggle for democracy. And who better to celebrate and commemorate this than the first citizen of our country?  It also provides us with a focus on the plight of the youth who continue to be at the receiving end of socio-economic challenges, unemployment and poverty. In accordance with the resolutions of our Conference, this Region will be leading programmes for youth development and job-creation.

We call upon all citizens of Nelson Mandela Bay to come celebrate Youth Day with us and the President on 16 June at Wolfson Stadium.

With regard to governance in the city, the ANC Nelson Mandela Region remains extremely concerned that the Integrated Development Programme (IDP) and draft 2012/13 Budget have NOT been engaged with the ANC structures. This is sad but true. We question the legitimacy of this IDP and Budget, which have never been formally tabled with the structures of the ANC in this region. We are the ruling party, and we can never understand nor be convinced as to how our own deployees have not brought these to our structures. Our Branches at the Conference and post-Conference have expressed themselves assertively on this matter and have stated that they will NOT accept an IDP and Budget that does not speak to the mandate of the people’s movement.

We are also concerned at the service delivery protests which have taken place recently, in particular in Walmer and Motherwell. We believe that the people’s hostile mood is indicative of the manner in which this Council is attempting to push through an IDP and Budget that does not find favour or legitimacy with the people on the ground. Eighteen years into democracy and we cannot allow a situation where such democracy is subverted by some.

We also express our extreme concerns that the Council will be starting a new financial year without a Municipal Manager and without Ward Committees, which are key components in the execution of democracy.

We thank you for your time today to be informed of our programmes and progress and to be clarified on a number of areas. We wish to again reiterate that if at any time you wish to be informed of the programmes, decisions, structures, discussions and processes of the African National Congress in this region – the ONLY place you should come to is here Florence Matomela House, the headquarters of the ANC Nelson Mandela Region. No-one else knows what the decisions and discussions are of the ANC, anyone who attempts to do so, is MISLEADING you.

We take this opportunity to again pledge our cooperation with you as the media as a platform for informing your readership, viewership and listenership on the programmes and decisions of the ANC Nelson Mandela Region. We trust that you will use this opportunity to do so. And we trust that you will continue to engage with us and liaise with us on all matters concerning our Region.

Issued on behalf of the African National Congress Nelson Mandela Region by Nceba Faku, Chairperson and Zandisile Qupe, Secretary.

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Port Elizabethan

This author is a 'catch-all' for occasional articles and letters written to MyPE. The Author of each article can be found in the signature at the bottom of each individual article.

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