MBOMBELA – The ruling party must stop its infighting now, says Mr David Mabuza, the party’s provincial chairman. He told delegates at the provincial executive committee’s (PEC) lekgotla at Nutting House last Friday that the party faced a difficult period ahead.
The first election of the national leaders of an ANC structure took place the previous weekend when the national executive committee (NEC) of the Women’s League was elected. Now the party is looking towards the next, the national conference of Ancyl in October ahead of the party structures going to the vote for the NEC of the ANC next year.
“South Africa would be a different country in 10 years if these young people embrace our aspirations.”
The party must also contest the local government elections in 2016, after undergoing the process of appointing its candidates. “It is a difficult process we must handle with care.”
The chairman also chastised party officials.
“We must close the gap between us and the people. I still don’t understand why the ANC as local government are not talking to our people. Why all of a sudden are we afraid to go and talk to our people?”
He said some members were not working in municipal councils and the legislature. “They are forever absent. Why is it that we can’t communicate the things we are doing as government to our people? We have done a lot for our people, but we don’t tell them.”
But it not all a good story to tell, as Mpumalanga’s economy continues to face serious challenges. “The ANC is facing contentious issues which requires the leadership to take bold decisions.”
These include the job losses of serious proportions faced by retrenchments at Highveld mines. Evraz Highveld Steel and Glencore Optimum had issued Section 189 notices with a view of retrenching employees.
“The situation remains very gloomy. Highveld Steel is on the brink of collapse. A rescue has been offered. We hope a solution will be found.
“It is up to the leadership in the province to think very creatively how best to help those families in this challenging period. These are desperate and difficult times that call for open-minded solutions.”
For his part, as premier, Mabuza has been seeking outside investments. “We have to open up. The money circulating here is not enough to sustain us and our jobs.” He has secured investments from Italy and understandings with China and is due to visit Oman next month to broker an agriculture deal. “It it the only sector we can rely on,” he concluded.
