ANC KZN PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE STATEMENT
26 February 2013
The African National Congress (ANC) In KwaZulu-Natal held its ordinary Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meeting in Howick, outside Pietermaritzburg, on Sunday and Monday this week.
The PEC received comprehensive reports from the comrades deployed in the KwaZulu-Natal government. The reports painted a very positive picture about the state of service delivery in the province and clearly outlined the province's ambitious future plans such as improving the standard of health and education.
Some of the achievements and challenges highlighted in the reports will be presented by Comrade Zweli Mkhize during his state of the province address in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday. Under the ANC leadership, the provincial government has developed the image of a clean and hardworking government.
The PEC also received the report on the preparations for the three-day Provincial General Council (PGC) which will start on March 22, 2013 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Westville Campus. We are pleased that the ANC goes to this important conference very united and ready to tackle political and organisational issues at hand.
The members of the PEC noted with serious concerns yet another deliberate attempt by the faceless sources that feed the media with lies with a sole purpose of generating unnecessary tensions and divisions among our comrades.
The Mail and Guardian story alleges that the ANC has hatched a 20-year-plan to draw leaders from KwaZulu-Natal to lead the ANC (see here). It also states that the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal says the ANC's Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa cannot be trusted not to reopen the corruption probe against President Jacob Zuma. How can that be possible?
First and foremost, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal is not aware of any pending corruption charges against the president. As far as we know, the corruption charges against the president were withdrawn ages ago. It is unfortunate that the newspaper decided to publish such deceitful allegations knowing very well that there is no way the charges can be brought back as they were dropped after a careful consideration.
The ANC wants to emphasize that there is no plan to draw leaders from KwaZulu-Natal. It would be wrong to say that this is KwaZulu-Natal's time to lead the ANC. Even President Zuma is leading because he is acknowledged as the leader in the whole country. It is an undeniable truth that KwaZulu-Natal alone would not have made him president. We urge the media not to be used by people who want to divide our movement.
The PEC also condemned the demands by the South African Medical students in Cuba who are on illegal strike, demanding an increased stipend of more than 300% from $200 to $700 per month. We strongly believe that what they have done has embarrassed South Africa and we fully support government's decision to bring all the striking students back.
What they have done is extremely disappointing as the programme was developed to ensure that South Africa has enough doctors to serve our people. The ANC feels that the students' demands were unreasonable as the accommodation, food, transport, tuition and all the necessities were sponsored by South African and Cuban governments.
The meeting also received a programme of rebuilding the African National Congress Youth League structures in KwaZulu-Natal. The ANCYL recently had a meeting with the ANC Provincial Working Committee (PWC) where the league's programme was thoroughly discussed and the ANC fully supports it.
The ANC PEC also accepted the apology from the ANCYL for the utterances it made last year. During the PWC meeting, the ANCYL expressed its unconditional apology for having accused the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal of tribalism.
The PEC was also happy with the manner in which recommendations of the Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Commission are being implemented. A team of NEC members recently visited all the affected regions in KwaZulu-Natal and engaged ANC members on the report. The commission investigated the alleged irregularities in the May 2011 local government elections candidate lists in all the provinces. The report of the commission is processed within organisational structures and the implementation process will be completed soon.
Statement issued by the ANC KwaZulu Natal, February 26 2013
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