ANC statement of the outcomes of the National Working Committee held on Monday 16 August 2021
18 August 2021
The National Working Committee met virtually on Monday, 16 August 2021 to conduct its ongoing work of implementing the decisions of the NEC. It focussed on preparations for the Special Extended NEC Meeting on Saturday, 21 August 2021 to approve ANC candidates for the local government elections, as well as the forthcoming NEC Lekgotla.
Covid-19 Pandemic
The NWC received a regular report on the work of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC). The NWC welcomed the efforts by government to ensure sufficient supplies of vaccines.
However, it was concerned by reports regarding the slow pace of vaccination amongst those who are eligible, as well as the spread of disinformation leading to vaccine hesitancy. The NWC urged all those eligible to be vaccinated to do so. It also emphasised the need for all to continue taking steps to protect themselves and each other by wearing masks, maintaining social distance, and washing or sanitising their hands regularly.
The NWC conveyed its heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and comrades of the many South Africans who have lost their lives to COVID-19.
Special Extended NEC to ratify candidates for local government elections
The Special Extended NEC on Saturday, 21 August 2021 will approve the final list of approximately 10 000 ANC ward and proportional list candidates for the local government elections.
The Extended NEC is composed of ANC NEC members as well as representatives of ANC provinces, the ANC Women's League, Veterans' League, ANC National Youth Task Team, South African Communist Party, and Congress of South African Trade Unions.
The deadline for submission of candidates to the IEC is Monday, 23 August 2021. Local government elections must take place on 27 October 2021, unless they are postponed by the Constitutional Court. The ANC has successfully applied to be joined as a party to the IEC's application for extension of the local government elections, based on the recommendations of the inquiry by former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke.
The ANC has strengthened its candidate selection process to ensure that the most credible, representative, and capable team of ANC councillors are selected to contest the elections. This team will ensure accountability, good governance, economic development, and a better life for all in South Africa's 257 municipalities. The candidate selection process is overseen by the ANC's Electoral Committee, chaired by former Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.
The ANC rules for candidate selection provide for maximum popular participation in the choice of who should represent the people as ward councillors. All registered voters in wards where the ANC obtained a majority were invited to community meetings and community voting. This gave voters the opportunity to participate directly and meaningfully in the selection of those ANC candidates who will best represent the people of the ward.
Candidates nominated by the ANC branch were presented to the community. Where communities preferred a different candidate from the four nominated by the ANC branch, they were asked to nominate an additional ANC candidate. The final candidate was chosen from among all nominees in an open community vote across all voting districts in the ward. The person who received the most votes is now the ANC ward candidate, provided they comply with the requirements set out in the Constitution and the ANC rules for candidate selection.
ANC PR candidates were nominated by branches and subjected to a vetting and screening process, as well as approval by extended provincial executive committees, which included Alliance partners, the SACP and Cosatu.
Mayoral candidates will be confirmed once candidates have been approved and after an interview process by the extended PEC and the NEC.
The Extended NEC is the final step in a process designed to ensure that the ANC fields a highly capable and representative team to improve the capacity of our municipalities to deliver services and improve social and economic development for all communities in South Africa.
Postponement of NEC Lekgotla
The NWC received a report on preparations for the forthcoming NEC Lekgotla. The NWC decided that, in view of the urgency of finalising local government candidates, the NEC Lekgotla scheduled for 21 - 23 August should be postponed to a later date.
The NEC Lekgotla will assess the implementation of the undertakings in the ANC Elections Manifesto by government and guide planning for the remainder of 2021 and 2022.
The Lekgotla will focus on economic reconstruction and recovery; climate change and a just transition; combatting the Covid-19 pandemic and socio-economic interventions to deal with its effects; peace and stability and fight crime and corruption; building a capable developmental state through the district development model as well as strengthening local government.
Changes to the National Executive (Cabinet), Premier of North West and Mayors of Johannesburg and Mangaung
The NWC noted and expressed its support for the changes to the National Executive (Cabinet) announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his capacity as President of the Republic of South Africa.
The NWC also welcomed the announcement of Comrade Kaobitsa "Bushy" Maape to be Premierr of North West, as well as the election of Comrades Jolidee Matongo and Mxolisi Siyonzana as Executive Mayors of Johannesburg and Mangaung respectively.
This follows interviews by the ANC National Officials ensuring a comprehensive assessment of their capacity in relation to governance, financial, political and ethical matters.
All of the above measures contribute to ensuring the unity and renewal of the ANC as mandated by the ANC's 54th National Conference.
Issued by Pule Mabe, National Spokesperson, ANC, 18 August 2021
