Johannesburg -
The ANC appeared to have overcome reported internal divisions over a key policy paper on a “second transition” for correcting economic imbalances.
But the transition now had a new name, African National Congress policy head Jeff Radebe said on Thursday.
“All commissions have accepted the content and the thrust of the document as you know it,” he told reporters at the party's national policy conference in Midrand.
However, instead of calling the next stage of democracy the “second transition”, it would now be called the “second phase of the transition”, he said.
Eleven commissions had been debating the discussion document on the “second transition” since Tuesday.
According to the paper, the ANC must enter a second era of democracy, as the past 18 years were the first transition, during which the focus was political emancipation.
The second phase had to focus on social and economic transformation over the next 30 to 50 years.
Following the discussions, it appeared that commissions had decided there would not be a second transition, but a continuation of the first transition.
“There was broad agreement that we are in a continuing transition from apartheid colonialism to a national democratic society,” Radebe said.
This second phase should be characterised by more radical policies to bring about economic and social change to address poverty, inequality and unemployment, he said.
Radebe rejected the idea that the second transition was shorthand for the re-election of ANC president Jacob Zuma at the party's national elective conference in Mangaung in December.
He said he had spent time in four commissions on Wednesday and they had not been evaluating the document in terms of a succession battle, but at a “high, theoretical level”.
He denied ANC members were divided between supporters of Zuma and his deputy Kgalema Motlanthe.
“Let us clarify this so that we can take the elephant out of the room. There are no Zuma supporters or Kgalema supporters Ä people support the ANC,” he said.
Earlier in the day, two groups of delegates sang pro- and anti-Zuma songs.
The pro-Zuma group sang loudly while dancing through the hall where Motlanthe was visiting Progressive Business Forum stalls during lunch, before they moved outside.
Outside, they sang: “uZuma, second transition” and “Bao ba sa batleng Zuma. Ba chechele morao. 1/8Those who don't want Zuma should hold back 3/8” in support of the president.
They held up two fingers, suggesting a second term.
In response, a smaller group sang: “Bayozabalaza! 1/8They will protest 3/8” and chanted “Change, change.”
This group rolled their hands, in a similar gesture to soccer fans calling for a player on the field to be changed.
National executive committee member Tony Yengeni said it was “mischievous” to suggest the document was linked to Zuma's reported re-election campaign.
“It is extremely mischievous to associate this discussion document ... with the second term of comrade president Jacob Zuma,” Yengeni said.
“This is a policy document.”
Radebe said the ANC was still committed to a mixed economy, but wanted to ensure that when the state played a role it did so effectively.
“Where as a state we play a role, it must be effective.”
The policy document accepted by the commissions on Thursday would be taken back to the ANC branches for input and then taken for adoption to the national conference in December. - Sapa