The ANC has begun consulting voters to help formulate its manifesto for next year's general elections, national executive committee (NEC) member Jeff Radebe said on Monday.
"The African National Congress will be convening nation-wide manifesto forums with our people, from all walks of life, on the development of our election manifesto," he told reporters in Johannesburg.
"The manifesto forums seek to provide an opportunity for the ANC to interact with our people on progress made and challenges confronted in creating a South Africa that is better today than it was in 1994."
Radebe said the forums would be held from September 14 to October 18.
"These municipalities [where the forums will be held] are selected to ensure a fair distribution in terms of urban and rural mix, levels of basic service delivery, and ANC support."
A minimum of four forums would be held in each province.
"All the manifesto forums will be public gatherings, open to all people who wish to make contributions in the manifesto to guide and direct our collective aspirations," Radebe said.
He said the ANC had been encouraged by forums held in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal and Sasolburg, in the Free State, at the weekend.
"Both were well-attended and were characterised by fruitful engagements by members of the public," Radebe said.
He said more than 300 people attended the forum in Eshowe and 160 in Sasolburg.
Radebe said it was hoped the manifesto would be approved by the ANC's NEC at the end of November.
"It [the manifesto] will be made public when we celebrate the birthday of the ANC on January 8, 2014."
He said the ANC-led government had made "great strides" since the advent of democracy, coming up with, among other things, the National Development Plan.
"The achievements that we have made in the past five years and in the past 19 years notwithstanding, we have to consult our people because we still have many challenges that lie ahead. "
He said the ANC always focused on its people.
"We are not going to be diverted... [by] other parties, even those who had previously been in the ANC, who have [now] formed their new parties."
Radebe said the ANC had "a very good story to tell" for its nearly 20 years as ruling party.
"Twenty years is not a curse for us, but it is a major milestone because we believe that we have destroyed the vestiges of apartheid and on its ashes, we have consolidated our political democracy," he said.
"Our aim is to make sure that we have a comprehensive majority in these elections."
When asked about other parties' claims they would claim provinces from the ANC, he joked that he did not know that political parties had psychics.
He said people still had trust in the ANC. - Sapa