#ANC105 - Zuma lists priorities for 2017

Picture: Twitter

Picture: Twitter

Published Jan 8, 2017

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Johannesburg - The contentious issues of job creation, economic transformation and land reform are high on President Jacob Zuma's priority list for 2017.

The new year would be a decisive one "as we take the national democratic revolution forward", he said, and called for unity in action in reigniting growth of Africa's largest economy.

Zuma said they also needed to make progress on land reform and the restitution programme. He said the government also planned to heighten the fight against the social ill of racism.

The president was delivering the keynote address at the ANC gala dinner at the Sandton Convention Centre in Joburg on Saturday night as part of the party's 105th birthday celebrations.

He called for unity within the movement, and said: "The ANC must give the country confidence that it's still in good hands under the ANC leadership. We have good programmes and policies that will move our country forward. We will review them as we prepare for the national (elective) conference in December."

Zuma's deputy Cyril Ramaphosa has lashed out at factionalism and corruption within the movement, which he said was run by bad leadership.

Zuma, who will deliver his last January 8 statement at Orlando Stadium in Soweto today (Sunday), will step down as ANC president in December and has already indicated that he would not run for a third term.

Ramaphosa has already indicated he was ready to succeed Zuma and has the backing of Cosatu and the SA Communist Party. He is up against AU Commission chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who enjoys the support of the ANC's leagues, and the pro-Zuma premier league faction led by the ANC provincial chairpersons of Mpumalanga, Free State and North West.

The SACP has criticised factionalism within the movement and called on the leadership to deal decisively with the matter.

Ramaphosa this week also spoke out against the challenges in the ANC saying the ruling party was "riddled with factions" and that leaders were presiding over them.

@luyolomkentane [email protected]

Political Bureau

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