ANC WCape Media & Communications Office

ANC SG message in the Western Cape: ANC ready to form a people centered Council

17 July 2016

The Secretary General of the ANC, Comrade Gwede Mantashe descended to the Western Cape over the weekend to join the campaign machinery of the ANC Western Cape for local government elections. SG's message on the campaign trail was very clear.

The ANC is ready to form people centered Councils in the Cape Town metro and several key Municipalities in this Province.

SG's message was based on two key reasons. The first was an outright expression of the confidence he has about the elections work that has happened in the Metro and other municipalities, led by various Mayoral candidates, first among these, Comrade Xolani Sotashe, who is leading the Campaign to regain the City of Cape Town metro.

Secondly it was the less spoken about factor but no less profound, that it takes more than winning the Mayoral Candidacy to be able to form a local government that can deliver to the people in the manner that we sought. It takes both winning most Wards and wining those Wards with capable and committed Candidates, Ward candidates which in the end form a City Council that effectively is the ultimate decision making body in Local Municipalities.

As SG moved from Kosovo informal settlements, to the corridors that separate Kosovo and Samaro, to Gugulethu and Nyanga, he was not only accompanied by the lead Mayoral Candidate, Comrade Xolani Sotashe, but by all Ward Candidates of these various campaign spots. All Ward candidates were called in to make a commitment to the people. That they will honor all ANC policies on Councillors, which requires among other things, regular report backs to Communities, responsiveness to community members timeously when grievances have been raised, availability at all times to members of the community and ultimately to fight in Council for your community developmental needs. All Councillors stood up and made those commitments themselves in order for communities to hold them accountable on their own words.

From the SG himself the message to the Councillors was clear. Perceptions around Councillors, if left unattended, becomes the accepted reality which frustrates the work of the ANC and its ability to retain community trust. The perception that ANC Councillors are corrupt and serve primarily their own interests once elected needed to be attended to through effective and consistent counter messages, both in word and in deed.

More importantly, SG further told ANC Councillors, was consciousness on all ANC Councillors. Consciousness, is the ability to know, as an individual, where you stand, despite what is happening around you. SG emphasized that it is when Councillors stand by ANC principles, unwavering, despite what paths others may be pursuing, but to never be moved because a Councillor that stands by ANC principles, protects not only the Council but also the movement he represents.

SG highlighted however the dangers that may arise with Consciousness. First among these the tendency to feed one's ego with a sense of being special. For indeed once you stand alone in a room full of those who may not posses your consciousness, you may start running a one man's show. The ANC at all times, encourages that we must always sought one another, encourage one another, and seek to work as a team, whatever the cost, whatever the sacrifice.

Our Unity is sacrosanct.

There is a palpable mood of excitement and positive energy in the atmosphere about the ANC everywhere we go. Our people, who have always been our first line of volunteer corps, talking to neighbor and stranger alike about the hope we have in an ANC led government have been revived and motivated by the work ANC is doing across the Province and our people know that it is them who must carry this work beyond the election campaign trail into the 5 years of government, both by participating in all decisions that affect them and by holding their Councillors accountable.

SG continues on Sunday to visit churches and do walk abouts in communities spreading this message of hope and commitment.

Statement issued by Faiez Jacobs, ANC Western Cape Provincial Secretary, 17 July 2016