The ANC’s National General Council (NGC) is expected to focus its attention relentlessly on the state of the country’s economy. This was revealed at the ruling party’s launch of a number of discussion documents for its NGC scheduled for the 9th to the 12th of October.
The NGC is a mid-term review of the policies and implementation of decisions passed at the ANC’s 2012 National Conference in Manguang.
Evaluation by the 3000 delegates that are expected to attend the meeting will also include issues ranging from job creation, education and health, social transformation and land reform and rural development.
The nine discussion documents released by the ruling party on Monday assess the progress, challenges and possible ways of better realising these goals as President Jacob Zuma’s regime reaches its half way mark.
A discussion on what is termed the balance of forces analyses the international and local environment within which the ruling party and government operates lamenting the selfishness of a few, cautioning against forces that would seek to undermine the credibility of a black government and calling for organisational renewal.
With the next twenty years dubbed the second phase of radical transformation ANC Policy Head Jeff Radebe says the document on economic transformation must develop a new thinking in the party.
“What must a branch discuss in a branch meeting? It must discuss about the municipality are these resources that we provide to the municipality being put to good use to provide infrastructure for our people on the ground, are we mending the roads are we solving the billing problems in our society not about the slates but issues of the economy,” says Radebe.
The ANC acknowledges that the economy is going through tough times currently, plagued by the high price and shortage of electricity, weak and declining commodity prices and weakening international trade markets.
It proposes a number of interventions in the manufacturing and agriculture sectors as well as expansion of the ocean economy, oil and gas exploration and beneficiation of minerals to counter-act this negative trend.
Policy committee member Naledi Pandor says that there are some new and rich opportunities on the table. “If we can set a special economic zone on platinum value addition initiative in the hydrogen fuel cells industry area we are very interested in that special economic zone and there are others related for example to the manufacturing side in the citrus and fruit industry in communities that have been neglected up until this point of course science technology and innovation we have not had any of that iteration in any of the ANC’s discussion documents.”
The role of State-owned enterprises as a means of strengthening the implementation capacity of the state will also be looked into. The discussion document on Education and Health paints a rosier picture noting the progress in the building and renovation of schools and clinics and the prospect of meeting of most of the targets set by the Millennium Development Goals.
Challenges identified are the finalisation of a policy on free higher education to poor students, speedier implementation of the National Health Insurance programme and establishment of indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity. With regards to the building of a capable development state the discussion document on legislature and governance speaks of much work still to be done.
Radebe says, “The review of the role of provinces has not been concluded and the implementation of major transformative policies around the reconfiguration of the state have been lacking. Institutional challenges and the viability of some municipalities are still to be adequately addressed. The NGC Document prompts discussion around driving and aligning delivery around the national vision as encapsulated in the NDP.”
On crime the party notes serious decreases since 2008 in serious crime and progress in transforming the criminal justice system.
The discussion document dealing on the media makes proposals on increasing fast-speed broadband rollout, ensuring the move to digital serves all citizens and the modernisation of the post office.
On crime, the party notes serious decreases since 2008 in serious crime and progress in transforming the criminal justice system. The opportunities presented by South Africa’s membership of BRIC’s is discussed with regards to International Relations with the call being reiterated that the UN Security Council, International Monetary Fund and World Bank be reformed and the country review its membership of the International Criminal Court.
Rural Development and Land Reform is an area where it notes progress has been slow.
Radebe says, “There has been a drop in vulnerability to hunger with increased access to food in from 2010 to 2014. Key programmes as we go forward include the construction of 44 Agriparks and the establishment of 24 aqua-culture projects under operation Phakisa- Oceans economy. However we acknowledge the need to accelerate land reform in the best interests of the South African public.”
Delegates to the ANC NGC now have three weeks to debate the various documents – which are also available to the public on the ruling party’s website. These interactions will hopefully right policies that have gone off- track – ensuring that President Zuma’s tenure produces a rich legacy for the country’s people.
Click below for an insert by Montlenyane Diphoko for more on this story.
Click below for a related interview by Francis Herd with economist Dr Azar Jammine.
– By Busi Chimombe and Montlenyane Diphoko
