ANC unity imperative – Mabuza

The African National Congress (ANC) in Limpopo has chosen to remain mum about the amount fundraised during Saturday evening’s stylish gala dinner, which culminated in a short programme that got started two hours after the scheduled time.
When approached for confirmation of the final figure on Tuesday as per initial arrangement the day after the event, ANC Limpopo Media Liaison Officer Aluwani Netsianda declined to give the amount in funds raised by saying that they were not sharing that information.

According to him they were not at liberty to share the information with the media. Not even the argument that their members would want to know how much goodwill they contributed towards with their monetary support of the gala event could sway Netsianda to release the figure.
Prior to ANC Deputy President David Mabuza ascending the stage, ANC Deputy Provincial Chairperson Jerry Ndou welcomed him to the event and to Limpopo. Ndou first warned against imposters continually soliciting donations from unsuspecting victims by posing as fundraising leaders of the organisation in the province. Referring to a worrying trend, he encouraged party members to first verify identification when receiving such calls or when wanting to donate towards party coffers. To the expression of some cheerful support Ndou further indicated that the ANC in the province was not just united but united behind the national leadership led by party president Cyril Ramaphosa.

The audience, which largely constituted ANC-affiliated businesspeople, gathered from around sunset to fill to capacity a venue at The Ranch Resort outside Polokwane. Guests further included representatives of ruling party structures and alliance partners. The evening programme was a prelude to a provincial rally in celebration of the 106 years of existence of the movement held at Ephraim Mogale Stadium in Modimolle on Sunday.
Mabuza, who was elected into his new position during the December national elective conference of the party, referred to some having predicted a collapse of the conference and that it was asserted that the ANC would fail to discuss issues of importance to the country in any manner that was dignified and responsive to the current situation faced by the majority of people in the country. The success in the conference was not only in holding it in a peaceful environment, he said, but it was the robustness of the debates they had and the relevance of the resolutions taken. Its success was also in the democratic nature of their internal processes and the peaceful manner in which they conducted the elections of leadership collective of different strengths, qualities and approaches to issues, he reckoned. During the national conference of the ANC the ability of the organisation to self-correct had been demonstrated, he continued saying.
Referring to them viewing the event as a platform for the ANC to interact with business, professionals, intelligentsia and other sectors of society, he said it was a platform to explain the direction they were taking. He added that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC had resolved to go to every corner of the country and engage in a manner that enhanced existing channels of communication with every sector in society.
Later on in his speech he mentioned his championing of unity, which he persisted with despite having been a lone voice in the jungle. The bigger challenge faced when talking of unity within the ANC was to now talk of unity in the country, he remarked.
In his 50-minute address he imparted advice on the party leadership in the province going into an elective conference scheduled for March that they couldn’t wish away one another, that they were stuck together, that they had to join hands and move forward. “There is nothing to fight for.” He added that “CR17 or NDZ” didn’t exist any longer, but unity had to prevail, he added.
With his final words he gave his audience the assurance that the president of the ANC was very safe ahead of him as deputy president of the ANC. “There is no one who would protect the ANC president like myself, because that is the right thing to do. I’m not going to contradict the president. I’m going to work with the president all the time,” he concluded.

Story & photos: YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com