By Emily Setona
QWAQWA – Ecstatic ANC supporters and Alliance member who converged at Phuthaditjhaba multipurpose hall for the party’s review of the 2019 manifesto have called on Secretary-General (SG) Fikile Mbalula to foster unity within the ANC ranks.
They emphasised that, without unity, the party cannot liberate the people of South Africa.
“This day is meant to give an account to the community of how far we have come since the introduction of the 2019 manifesto of the ANC. We need an organisation that is united, as unity is a fundamental condition for a united ANC to be able to liberate our people.
“If we are not united, we will not liberate our people. It is our belief as the ANC youth league (ANCYL) that the programme of economic freedom cannot remain a dream that cannot be attained. It is high time that the government of the ANC implemented its policies because the ANC has policies that are wonderful on paper but are not implemented,” Junior Lehlehla the SG of the Free State ANCYL said.
“As we are reviewing this alliance manifesto in this very fragile municipality of Maluti-a-Phofung (MAP) we are saying that the manifesto must be practical. Unity is the only weapon that can assist us to defend the government of the ANC,” local SACP representative Peter Khumalo said.
These sentiments were endorsed by Ketso Makume, the provincial deputy chairperson of the ANC, who pointed out it is only through unity that the ANC will be able to best serve its people.
In his address, Mbalula stated that the ANC needs members that are committed and energized and ready to implement programmes instead of serving their own interests.
“The fight we are facing needs leaders that are strong and have endurance. We need to encourage those of us who fall along the way to carry on the good fight and serve our people. We cannot ask the community what they need when it is clear what our people’s needs are today.”
“Our people cannot complain about service delivery issues when they are beneficiaries of some of the ANC programmes. Our people live in RDP houses, there was a time when HIV/AIDS was killing our people but now people have access to ARVs all because of the ANC. Children go to school because of the ANC and no child is allowed to be turned away when their parents cannot afford to pay school fees.
“Alongside our alliance partner COSATU we were able to fight for fair labour practices for our people. President Ramaphosa was able to handle the Covid pandemic in the best way that he possibly could because during that time the country faced a monster that no other president had faced. The ANC has worked hard and will continue to work hard,” Mbalula said.
Among those who were there were Thabo Mofutsanyana district executive mayor and regional deputy chairperson Conny Msibi, and the chairperson of the region who is also the chief whip of the district Thabo Mokoena.
