ANC president preaches unity at the 9th ANC KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Conference

The African National Congress (ANC) president Cyril Ramaphosa has called on delegates attending the 9th ANC KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Conference in Durban on Sunday night to ensure that resolutions taken are implemented to advance the lives of people.

Delivering the closing address in Durban, Ramaphosa says the party should show unity and renewal. He says KwaZulu-Natal has always been at the forefront of producing strong leaders who are solution driven within the organisation.

Ramaphosa says the ANC should now show unity and renew the party. “KZN has always shown leadership on a number of issues that affect our organization as a whole. You’ve always been leaders in showing a path to the future that our organization should take. So I would say we must emerge from this conference, with a clear program and in divided commitment to improve the lives of our people here in KZN.”

Ramaphosa arrived at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban despite earlier reports that he would not officially finish the summit.

ANC president Ramaphosa addresses ANC KZN Elective Conference: 

The ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial conference has elected Sboniso Duma as the new Provincial Chairperson defeating Sihle Zikalala who took over from Senzo Mchunu in 2015.

‘Disciplined and well-organised’ conference

Ramaphosa has congratulated the party in KwaZulu-Natal for holding what he called a ‘disciplined and well-organised’ conference.

Delegates started booing when the new chairperson Sboniso Duma mentioned Ramaphosa’s arrival.

Ramaphosa started by explaining this confusion. “Around 8 o’clock this morning, when we spoke my own programme was a little bit mixed up and it looks like I will not be able to come but later we spoke again and I informed Comrade Duma that Yes my programme had loosened up and I was, therefore, able to come and that is why I am here.”

Eskom 

Ramaphosa says the ANC-led government is working around the clock to address the problem of load shedding in South Africa. He says he understands the frustration that the continued blackouts have caused within the business sector.

The ANC president told the delegates that they have been making sure that generation capacity is given much-needed attention. He says an announcement will be made soon on some of the government interventions to address load shedding.

“We have been finalising and we will soon be announcing a package of additional measures, to reduce the severe load shedding that we have been experiencing in the medium term. To end load shedding in the medium term, and to ensure that we have energy security.”