Durban - THE ANC Youth League KwaZulu-Natal co-ordinator Mafika Mndebele remains confident that the step-aside policy will be scrapped by governing party delegates at the elective conference in December.
Mndebele’s optimism comes despite the ANC policy conference in Nasrec this past weekend opting to retain the policy.
Before the conference, there had been growing criticism of the policy, with some arguing that it was not implemented evenly and was being used to target political opponents by the dominant faction in the ANC.
Mndebele, who first expressed reservations over the policy before the elective provincial conference, said its retention did not count as a setback for its critics.
“The policy conference is mainly about drafting policy positions. The most important gathering is the national elective conference, and that is where you will see the end of this policy. We are quite convinced that our cause is genuine,” he said.
He cited the case of former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede as an example.
“This case started almost four years ago, it is the State that keeps delayingthe case. The former mayor is on record as saying she wants her day in court,” Mndebele said.
He said their efforts in getting the policy scrapped was gaining momentum, with provinces such as Limpopo and Mpumalanga endorsing the move.
“Given the amount of work on the ground and the overwhelming opposition to it, we are quite convinced that come the elective conference in December the policy, which is clearly unconstitutional, will be done away with.”
However, speaking on Sunday, ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa said the policy conference delegates had recommended that the step-aside resolution be retained for the betterment of the party.
In closing the conference, Ramaphosa said that the party needed to enhance the integrity of the movement and its leadership, adding that there was an overwhelming view from more than 2 000 delegates attending the conference that the rule be retained.
“The overwhelming view of the policy conference is for the retention of the step-aside provisions to enhance the integrity of the movement and its leadership,” Ramaphosa said.