STATEMENT OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS FOLLOWING THE NEC MEETING HELD ON THE 22nd- 23rd NOVEMBER 2014

The National Executive Committee of the African National Congress met in its regular meeting on the 22nd to the 23rd November 2014 at the St. Georges Hotel, Irene, Tswane. This ordinary meeting was the last sitting of the NEC for the current year, 2014.

As is customary, the meeting received and discussed the Political Overview by the President of the ANC, Comrade Jacob Zuma. The report was a frank and honest analysis about contemporary issues and the challenges facing the movement and the country as a whole.

The meeting also received a detailed report on the state of the organization covering our structures at provincial and regional level. The NEC noted that ANC structures across the country are intact and busy with the important work of mobilizing our communities around issues that affect them.

The NEC was emphatic that our structures must remain rooted amongst the people, taking an active part in people's organs such as street committees, village committees and neighbourhood watch structures, amongst many others, to ensure our organization lives - agitating our people to be their own liberators. Unity of the ANC at all levels remains paramount.

The NEC reflected on the following issues and reports:

• Preparations for the 103 Anniversary celebrations
• State of readiness for the National General Council
• Comrade Pallo Jordan's resignation
• Preparations for the ANC Youth League National Congress
• ANC Task Team Report on COSATU
• Developments in the National Assembly

The NEC has resolved to establish a task team to report back to the ANC on state of State Owned Companies (SOCs). On energy, given its important role as a catalytic sector for development and some of the capacity challenges experienced recently, the NEC supports the effort by government to expand the supply base for energy and incorporation of Independent Power Producers (IPP) in both coal and in gas.

Preparations for the 103rd Anniversary Celebrations in the Western Cape province are underway. This important event in the history of our movement will be celebrated in Cape Town Stadium on the 10th January 2015. The NEC has called on our structures in the province and throughout the country to descend on the City of Cape Town in January to mark important milestone.

The National General Council will be held from the 26th to the 29th June 2015 in Gauteng. The NGC will coincide with the 60th Anniversary of the Freedom Charter. The ANC will develop a build up programme of Freedom Charter Forums throughout the country.

These forums will quantify progress made and assess areas where we are still lagging behind in the implementation of the Freedom Charter. The NEC has appreciated the work done by the different preparatory teams and expects the final report on the NGC preparations to be tabled at the March 2015 NEC meeting.

The NEC commended Comrade Pallo Jordan's principled and ethical position to resign from Parliament, the NEC and the ANC following media reports that he did not hold a PhD. His resignations from Parliament and the NEC have been accepted but the NEC declined to accept his resignation as a member of the ANC as we have confidence that he still has a role to play in the movement.

On COSATU, the NEC welcomed the report of the ANC Task Team and appreciated the ongoing work done to engage with COSATU. The NEC agreed that the Task Team must work hard for unity and cohesion in COSATU. In working towards this unity, the ANC will engage its Alliance Partners to be part of the effort of forging unity within COSATU and the Alliance.

The NEC has noted the ongoing disruptions and anarchy in the National Assembly. The narrative that President is refusing to answer questions is malicious and baseless. This is more so in view of the fact that the President has already appeared before Parliament 5 times in the 5 months of the existence of this new Parliament. There is no record that the President has not complied with Parliamentary Rules and the Constitution. The target of these attacks is the ANC itself hence the attack is now extended to the Deputy President and the National Chairperson.

The actions of some opposition parties undermine democracy and the Constitution. The ANC therefore understands the responsibility it has to defend democracy. It is for this reason why we welcome and wholly support the intervention by the Deputy President in his capacity as Leader of Government Business in Parliament.

The NEC has encouraged the DP to continue engaging all opposition parties. The ANC must remain vigilant and weary of any attempts to use this legitimate process to undermine parliamentary structures and procedures. We trust that all parties will approach this process in good faith and that their intra-party politics will not derail progress made.

The NEC congratulated the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and Frelimo of Mozambique for their success in their recent elections. The NEC observed a trend of NGOs receiving foreign funding and constituting themselves into political parties in the region. The NEC views this as constituting a risk.

The National Executive Committee resolved to meet in the first week of the January 2015. This year has been an eventful one in South Africa. It marked a historic twenty years of our democracy and the 5th General Election. The NEC thanks all South Africans for their active participation in continuing to shape our young democracy.

Statement issued by Gwede Mantashe, ANC Secretary General, November 25 2014

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter