Cape Town - The ANC went on the counter-offensive on Saturday, defending its record in government and listing milestones in the implementation of the Freedom Charter as it celebrated its 103rd birthday in a packed Cape Town Stadium.
After a difficult year in which alliance partner Cosatu hovered on the brink of a split, and amid accusations by expelled metalworkers union Numsa – among others – that it was straying from the path set out in the 1955 Freedom Charter, the governing party put the historic document at the centre of its January 8 statement, delivered on behalf of the national executive committee by President Jacob Zuma.
The ANC declared this the year of the Freedom Charter and “unity in action to advance economic freedom” – a riposte to the EFF whose slogan is “economic freedom in our lifetime”. The theme ran through Zuma’s speech, structured around each of the charter resolutions and recording efforts to meet its ideals since 1994 and outlining steps to take them forward this year.
A day after load shedding made an unwelcome return to South African life, Zuma said there was a perception the electricity crisis resulted from a failure of government, when the government was in fact “solving the apartheid problem” of a system designed for the privileged few.
While he said corruption “eats at the fabric of our society and constrains economic development”, Zuma went off script to insist it was only since democracy that the subject had been discussed openly and steps taken to fight it.
“We are addressing the question of corruption and we have made laws,” Zuma said
Responding to the Freedom Charter resolution that “the people shall share in the country’s wealth”, Zuma listed achievements in expanding access to housing and basic services, but said the stranglehold of monopoly capital on the economy had to be broken.
He called on the Competition Commission – which has already tackled the construction industry and bread prices, among others - to be “even bolder in their preventative and punitive measures”.
He once again affirmed the National Development Plan as the touchstone for economic policy, along with the New Growth Path and Industrial Policy Action Plan.
He said the ANC would ensure the middle class, “particularly the black middle class”, continued to grow, and highlighted the role of the Presidential Infrastructure Co-ordinating Commission in boosting job creation, growth, transformation and service delivery. He also took a swipe at the banking sector, the subject of a campaign by alliance partner the SACP, saying “excessive fees” excluded many people.
On the resolution that “the land shall be shared amongst those who work it”, Zuma said the ANC was “deeply concerned about the pace of land distribution – acknowledging that targets had not been met.
While he said that the mineral wealth of the country had been “transferred to the ownership of the state on behalf of the people”, Zuma said this had not yet “translated to equal full benefit of all South Africans” – a response to calls for the nationalisation of mines. “This year, we must finalise the amendments to the applicable laws to ensure that mineworkers and mining communities share, much more equitably, in South Africa’s mineral wealth.”
The justice system also came in for criticism, with Zuma saying “equality before the law and the justice system can be unduly affected by economic status as well as those who interpret the law” – a reference to recent high-profile cases in which wealthy defendants received sentences seen as lenient by many.
With one eye on the looming 2016 local government elections, Zuma touted the government’s “back to basics” campaign, saying this meant “working tirelessly” to provide services in “a professional and caring manner”.
Speaking earlier, Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini said the federation was “still standing” and would “respond in kind” to challenges from enemies from within and without.
SACP secretary general Blade Nzimande said that the organisation should build on its achievements to tackle the remaining challenges. There were still many people working to destroy the ANC, he warned, citing “sections of the media”, among others.
But the January 8 statement, as well as being a prelude to the president’s State of the Nation Address next month, is also a celebration of the party.
The crowd began trickling in from early in the morning, picking up refreshments and ANC paraphernalia from stalls. They were entertained by DJs, band,s and, in a nod to Cape tradition, troupes of minstrels, before the formal programme kicked off – somewhat late.
But the main musical feast was reserved for after Zuma’s speech, when acts including Arthur and Chomee, Dr Malinga and Zahara rewarded the crowd for their long stay in the sun.
Political Bureau