FACTIONALISM COMPROMISES OUR MOVEMENT AND ITS MANDATE TO BETTER THE LIVES OUR PEOPLE
By: Kaizer Mohau The decision to disband the NW Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC by the National Executive Committee has indeed been received differently by many. Some have even went to an extend of spitting venom against the NEC. The news about the PEC and its disbandment came to us on Friday, perhaps it was before the NEC could even deliberate on this matter – but already comrades in the North West province were already lobbying against this decision some branding it “the purging” of those who did not vote for the current leadership of the ANC during the December 2007 ANC conference in Polokwane. What was said by Themba Gwabeni, a member of the disbanded PEC in this past weekend City Press – about the NEC was precisely the argument used to lobby comrades before the PGC. Very interesting was when we met with some members of the PEC who in their response to this decision used the very untasteful phrases against the ANC NEC and the President of the ANC in particular. The untasteful phrases reminded one of the vitriolic which was displayed by Terror Lekota and Co. when they decided to serve the ANC with divorce papers after the re-calling of Thabo Mbeki. It was clear in my view that indeed we were correct that the North West leadership not only at the provincial level – but equally in some of the Regions and Sub regions was coping with COPE. The fact that Sub regional leaders were used to lobby the Branches behind the so-called “Hands Off campaign”, a campaign which is aimed at making sure that the NEC of the ANC is intimidated from actualizing this decision – thus I was never surprised at the manner in which ANC NEC deployees who were tasked with the communication of this particular decision were threatened and intimidated by these hooligans at the Rustenburg PGC. It can not be correct or accepted that lower structures of the ANC should be used to undermine the National leadership and the decisions taken by this leadership. Members of the PEC, lower structures, councilors and Executive Mayors were called in clandestine meetings prior to the PGC so that they could help in transporting as many as possible cadres who have already committed themselves to defend Cde Supra and his allies in PEC. To make matters worse even some members of the YL, WL and the SACP were transported to this gathering so that they could protest against the NEC. We know for a fact that this campaign was launched in Potchefstroom during the visit by the ANC NEC members before the 2009 General elections – where in which a pronouncement was made in relation to the role of the NEC members in running the organization during that period. Since then those who call themselves supporters of the PEC started to launch attacks on the ANC – so the conduct of our cadres during the abovementioned PGC – was in no way a surprise to many of us. It is in this context that we should as of now defend the ANC and its leadership without being intimidated – some of us are already feeling the heat as Government deployees precisely because of our view in relation to these matters and above all due to our stands with regard to the rampant factionalism which has characterized North west province’s politics. Individual cadres are made to feel that they are not welcome in government deployment – it is further argued that as long as we have cadres who happen to be our principals and are committed to the PEC which has deployed them we shall be dealt with. Government buildings, resources and personnel are used to advance the agenda of this faction that is why the meetings to prepare for the PGC were held in government buildings and offices – it is indeed not wrong as I long argued for leaders of the ANC to hold meetings in government building as long as those meetings are aimed at implementing ANC policies and programs to advance service delivery. But it is the whole different case when offices of the Executive Mayor are used for factional reasons. I think it is time Comrades that this decision is taken to lower structures of the ANC – because as one PEC member indicated that “they can disband us but Branches of the ANC will return to the PEC” – certainly this would amount to internal revolt against the ANC, something we will never afford as the ANC led movement – not at this time when the question of unity and cohesion are important and key. Having identified problems of factionalism, the NEC should now come down to Regions, Sub regions and local government to ensure that we deal with this devil called factionalism once and for all. I think it will equally be important that as we move towards establishing a structure which will be responsible for the facilitation of the next Provincial conference we should ensure that we do not replace a faction with a faction as this will further divide the ANC- in fact it will undermine the very important aim of bringing about the unity of the ANC in this province. To say people are divided on the basis of their support to either President Jacob Zuma or Thabo Mbeki for me it is the most absurd thing – because Thabo Mbeki has been recalled long ago and therefore those who seek to undermine the ANC do it for their personal greediness. And they need to be dealt with as such. Finally we should call on all sober cadres of our movement to rally behind the NEC and its decisions – and they must refuse to be used by individuals whose main agenda is to frustrate the ANC as we move towards the 2011 local elections. By: Kaizer Mohau – writing in his personal capacity as an ANC Branch member. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
