Johannesburg – The African National Congress on Sunday launched its policy discussion documents making a range of proposals, including changing the party's electoral systems and strengthening the presidency.
ANC head of policy Jeff Radebe said the release of the documents kick-started discussions among all ANC structures. "Branches will call meetings and discuss their positions on the proposals.
"The provinces will consolidate these branch proposals at provincial general councils... these consolidated proposals will be sent to ANC headquarters by mid June," Radebe told reporters in Johannesburg.
The ANC policy conferences would take place at the end of June and would be followed by the national elective conference set for December. Among other things, the ANC proposed an "open" election system in an effort to deal with "gatekeeping" and manipulation of the electoral process by dominant factions within the governing party.
"The paper also proposes that the organisation review its nomination and electoral processes to allow for open contestation. Such open contestation must be informed by guidelines and transparency," Radebe said.
Furthermore, the ANC wants a "fully automated" electronic recruitment and membership management system to be centrally managed from Luthuli House. On the presidency, Radebe said government's highest office should be strengthened as "the strategic centre of power and advance the NDP, planning, and policy and resource allocation".