President Cyril Ramaphosa came out of the heated ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting over the weekend unscathed.
He won the day on Sunday after NEC members, including Tony Yengeni, Tandi Mahambehlala, and Bheki Mtolo, the provincial secretary of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, tried to use the Phala Phala scandal to topple him ahead of the December elective conference.
Mtolo and the KZN provincial leaders are backing former health minister and current NEC member, Zweli Mkhize, for the position of party president.
After this failed attempt, Ramaphosa closed the NEC meeting on Sunday with his political report as the five-year term of the current leaders and top executives comes to an end on December 16 when the conference starts.
“We have dealt with critical challenges of the moment, including the renewal of the ANC, improving governance in all spheres, and addressing the economic and social needs of the people,” said Ramaphosa.
As the country is still reeling from the ravages of Covid-19, Ramaphosa says the ANC government was working to steady the South African ship.
Ramaphosa said South Africans are feeling the heat of global aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic and extreme weather events as a result of climate change and the effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
He says all this had a severe impact on the life circumstances of the 40% of South Africans who are languishing in poverty.
“These poor families and communities are struggling to afford the costs of education, transport, food and other basic needs.”
He says the ANC-led national government is armed with the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan – which aims to create jobs for the millions of unemployed South Africans.
“We are committed to maintaining and, to the extent possible, expand social security to protect the vulnerable and reduce poverty,” says Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa also touched on the recommendations made by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo in his State Capture Commission of Inquiry.
“The meeting welcomed the work done by the NEC sub-committees on the various findings and recommendations of the Commission,” says Ramaphosa.
The ANC is heading for the 55th elective conference in December from 16 to 20 December in Nasrec, Johannesburg.