ACTING ANC Secretary Genral Paul Mashatile has confirmed that President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver closing remarks at the 9th KwaZulu-Natal ANC provincial elective conference on Sunday.
Earlier, there was speculation that Ramaphosa’s supporters were concerned about the possibility of the president being booed or receiving a hostile reception at the provincial conference amid controversy related to the party’s step aside resolution and the Phala Phala farm incident.
His supporters argued that while Ramaphosa might get a mixed reaction at the conference, a no-show will send the wrong message to his detractors.
On Friday evening, Mashatile told delegates that the provincial conference needed to unite and ensure that the movement remained alive, whatever the outcome of the conference.
“Renewal is about returning the ANC to its values of unity, honesty, hard work, service and values of democratic centralism, criticism, and values of discipline,” said Mashatile.
“We know that renewal is not easy and there will be pushback even from within. As a movement, we face a reality of rejection from our people and other sections of society.”
“This has given our ideological opposition to gain ground in our traditional stronghold areas. This was evident in the last local government elections, however, we must also remember that voters did not reject us as they did not vote for the opposition, but they were of course not energised.”
Mashatile also told delegates that the party’s National Policy Conference of the ANC scheduled for July 28 – 31 would be a battle of ideas where serious discussions would unfold with the aim of strengthening the policy direction of the ANC.
“We must disappoint those who have already written the obituary of the ANC, saying that it is over with us and that we will never come back in the 2024 general elections,” he said.
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