Durban - The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal started its two-day lekgotla with a focus on socio-economic renewal, unity and nation-building as the party prepares for next year’s local government elections.
One of the key focus areas for the party is regional conferences that are yet to be held in the Moses Mabhida, lower South Coast, General Gizenga Mpanza and, crucially, eThekwini regions.
Provincial chairperson and Premier Sihle Zikalala told delegates that the party would only prosper at the local government elections if there was unity but, more importantly, if there was service delivery aimed at “altering the conditions under which people are living”.
Zikalala said while the regional conferences would be a launching pad for the 2021 elections, the party did not want a situation where they were winners and the rest were seen as the vanquished.
No date has been set yet for the conferences.
“We want to use the regional conference to unite the movement and build a solid foundation towards the local government elections.”
Zikalala said the lack of unity in the party had proven costly in the 2019 national elections and that the party had to take lessons, after a large number of voters abstained from voting in the last election, or face the consequences.
“This province has learnt how the lack of unity has affected the movement. There were divisions here in 2015 and there was a lack of unity from this province ahead of the 2017 elective conference at Nasrec. If cadres of the ANC hold chaotic meetings, members of society will not trust them,” he said.
Zikalala said the province, like the country, was seized with the challenge of growing the economy in areas like the agricultural sector, tourism, export and the green and ocean economies.
“There must be a balance between the growth and distribution of the economy. There must be growth in jobs.”
Zikalala said a vigorous plan was needed to deal with the “growing levels of crime”.
The lekgotla is expected to end on Sunday.