Riyaz Patel
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has delivered the governing party’s January 8 statement, the date of its founding, which outlines its activities and plans for the year and setting the tone for the State of the Nation address set for next month.
Ramaphosa told supporters at Tafel Lager Park, in Kimberly, that its programmes for the year ahead are underpinned by the ideals of the Freedom Charter, adopted 65 years ago.
The ANC President said said the party spent the week visiting residents in the Northern Cape and engaged in “deep, meaningful conversations” about their lives, the challenges they faced and taking note of their aspirations.
Ramaphosa said the ANC’s priorities for 2020 are:
– Building a capable state that serves all
– Building a united and cohesive society
– Investment and jobs
– An effective land reform programme
– Eradicating poverty
– Enhancing education and skills
On the country’s energy crisis, Ramaphosa said “Eskom is too big a company to fail.”
He again dismissed assertions that the ANC aims to privatise the embattled state-owned power utility.
Ramaphosa acknowledged the negative impact the spate of load shedding has had on the country’s economy in the last few months, saying the government must accelerate the introduction of new independent power producers.
“We must also find new sources of energy such as gas and intermediate energy that can be brought on ships. We must complete the measures undertaken to ensure the financial and operational stability of Eskom.”
“Eskom is the largest company in our country, it is too big to fail. We cannot allow Eskom to fail. We will rebuild it and support it.”
He also called on farmers, farm workers and traditional leaders to meaningfully work together on land reform, saying the land question remains a sore and the wound that “our people still carry.”
“The return of the land will happen in a manner that promotes economic growth and sustains food security.”
In the context of the pursuit of global peace, Ramaphosa said the ANC is “deeply concerned by the provocative military actions of the United States in Iraq” that resulted in the death of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.
Earlier, ANC Northern Cape (NC) chairperson and NC Premier Zamani Saul, called on ANC members to use 2010 year to self introspect in order to strengthen the party.
Saul was indirectly addressing rampant factionalism earing away at the ruling party.
The NC premier said members should ask themselves if what they were doing was “helpful or harmful to the party.”
Addressing perceptions that the party is a haven for the corrupt, Saul said leaders must not relent in fighting the scourge even it came at a personal cost.
Also in attendance in Kimberly was Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia, who, bedecked in ANC colours, saluted Ramaphosa “for keeping strong the vision that Nelson Mandela had.”
“We as Ethiopians continued to be inspired by Madiba’s service to humanity […] We will always remember Madiba for his enduring values of peace, moral leadership, transfer leadership to next generation.”
