ANC flag. Picture: Michel Bega
ANC deputy president David Mabuza is set to visit Tshwane to meet with the party’s regional structures in an effort to resolve disputes ahead of the upcoming local government elections.
In a statement, the ANC said its leadership on Monday would be accompanied by its elections team and electoral committee, with the governing party looking to reclaim Tshwane.
“The purpose of the interaction will be to engage with the substance of the grievances lodged by the structures in the interest of finding an amicable solution and resolving the current challenges.
“The envisaged outcome should pave the way towards reclaiming Tshwane,” the party said.
The ANC launched its manifesto in Tshwane last month having lost control over the metropolitan municipality at the 2016 elections.
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The party’s candidates for Tshwane have been in the spotlight following the murder of its councillor Tshepo Motaung.
Motaung, a ward 22 councillor in Mabopane, was shot 20 times while on his way home last month.
He is said to be the third councillor to be killed in the area – located in the north of Tshwane – in recent times.
EWN previously reported that the ANC would meet to discuss violence within the party ahead of the local government elections, which are scheduled to take place on 1 November.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa presented the governing party’s 2021 election manifesto, outlining the party’s plans to win back Tshwane.
While highlighting the ANC’s numerous failures in local government, Ramaphosa said the 1 November polls would herald a new era of accountability and consequences for wrongdoing in ANC municipalities.
The president said the ANC had pledged for the next five years that it would focus on improving service delivery, creating job opportunities and hiring municipal staff who are competent and experienced.
He also said the party would focus on school feeding schemes and soup kitchens to fight hunger in communities, including making municipal land available for community and cooperative food gardens.
He added that the party would tackle crime and corruption, as well as violence against vunerable groups.
Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe