PORT Alfred was host to the ANC’s Cadres Forum for the Ndlambe subregion, organised by the regional executive committee (REC) of the Sarah Baartman region last weekend.
The REC convened the Cadres Forums in four subregions within the region, namely Kouga, Dr Beyers Naude, Ndlambe and Sundays River Valley, regional secretary Scara Njadayi said.
“The Cadres Forums were designed to serve as a political platform, or school, for the general members of the ANC and society at large to learn the politics of the ANC,” Njadayi said.
“They further accorded an opportunity for members and the public to interface with the leadership of the ANC about some developments within the organisation, the country, the continent and the world.”
The convening of these political schools stems from a resolution of the National General Council in 2000 in Port Elizabeth to “build a new cadre”. This resolution was further echoed by the 53rd National Conference that took place in Mangaung in December 2012 that resolved to dedicate ten years as “a decade of a cadre”, Njadayi said.
The Cadres Forums were addressed by members of the National Executive Committee. Treasurer General Zweli Mkhize spoke in Sundays River Valley (Paterson), Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte was in Dr Beyers Naude (Jansenville), NEC/NWC member Naledi Pandor was in Kouga Subregion (Hankey) and Secretary General Gwede Mantashe was in Port Alfred. Provincial executive committee members were part of the progammes.
“The speakers premised their address by reminding everybody that in the year 2017, President Oliver Tambo would have been turning 100 years old and therefore all members of the organisation and the society at large must dedicate an effort in remembering him [because] he was an outstanding and selfless leader of the ANC who kept the party intact in difficult times,” Njadayi said
ANC leaders also appealed to leaders of the party at other levels to avoid being corrupt
Pursuance of the goals of the ANC’s National Democratic Revolution was another paramount topic.
ANC leaders also appealed to leaders of the party at other levels to avoid being corrupt as it was “a cancer that is killing the organisation and society”. They encouraged the general public not to tolerate it.
They redefined the essence of radical economic transformation as a meaningful radical impact on the lives of the people, so that local people, including business, “benefit in the privileges of government”, not only by supplying labour.
Materials should be procured locally, they said, but encouraged everybody to follow the due supply chain processes and avoid taking shortcuts.
ANC branches were encouraged to open avenues for all stakeholders and society to engage on the policies of the ANC, and “enhance them and advise where there’s a need for amendments”.
A specific reference was land and Njadayi said Sarah Baartman was one of those regions that suffered the most during the epoch of land dispossession, as six out of nine wars of resistance were fought in the region.
There were appeals for intense monitoring of the work of councillors, particularly their visibility; to curb alleged nepotism in recruitment in municipalities and sector departments, that the ANC NEC try to unite the organisation towards the upcoming conferences; that the leadership be decisive in dealing with corruption, laziness and “arrogance of power” by some deployees of the ANC, and that mediocrity must not be condoned; that the leadership must stick to the constitution in doing their work; that the ANC must see to it that service delivery reaches everybody; and that local struggle heroes are commemorated.
Njadayi said the REC would continue with these political schools and would further roll them out to all branches and units (voting stations).
“The REC further appreciates the people who managed to participate in the Cadres Forums and the meaningful contribution they have made in enhancing the thinking and the direction in which the organisation must take,” he said.
