Johannesburg - The ANC’s three-day national general council came to an end on Sunday night with delegates agreeing that it was now time to act decisively otherwise the advancement of the national democratic revolution was at stake.
“This is a critical moment for the national democratic revolution, containing both great possibilities for decisive advances and a significant risk of reversal. All people and sectors must harness their collective will and efforts towards creating a better life for all,” they said in a declaration.
This meant that corruption, factionalism, the buying of members and “gate keeping” needed to be rooted out.
Also measures had to be reinforced to ensure that cadres in the party and those deployed to the state valued service, selflessness, integrity and discipline.
The declaration also mentioned new powers to be given the party’s Integrity Commission so that it would no longer only make recommendations for action to be taken by dodgy members.
“This NGC paid particular attention to the standing, capacity and powers of the Integrity Commission established following a resolution of the 53rd National Conference. We agreed that the decisions of the Integrity Commission are binding and the Commission should be better- resourced to fulfill its mandate,” it reads.
Delegates also agreed that there were weaknesses in several agencies of the state that had to be urgently addressed to improve service delivery.
“The capacity of the democratic developmental state to coordinate implementation of policy is critical for optimal utilisation of human and material resources, in order to maximise the impact of our programmes and projects.
“We must intensify increased job creation and employment opportunities through mechanisms such as localisation, SMME and cooperatives support and instruments like the procurement set-asides and increased ownership and participation by black people in the economy, with a particular focus on the youth and women and people with disability.”
The declaration also called on the government to speed up its integrated response to deal with the criminal justice system, to launch a Parliamentary enquiry into the feasibility of a media tribunal, and that a presidential review of provinces be fast tracked.
Labour Bureau