The African National Congress (ANC) has issued a stern warning to its deployees at local government level throughout the country to up their game or face consequences for under performance.  ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule says the National Executive Committee meeting over the weekend in Benoni on Gauteng’s East Rand agreed that its officials at municipalities must refrain from acts of corruption.

Magashule has briefed the media at the ANC headquarters in Johannesburg. “So we are saying structures stop macro managing processes in government. The ANC municipality troika must not be involved in procurement processes and we commit to clean governance and no corruption. We’ll take firm action against those who are involved in corruption, nepotism and wasteful expenditure.”

Magashule says they have begun reviewing the ANC candidates’ selection ahead of the 2021 local government elections.

“The National Executive Committee is on a process to review the ANC candidates’ list process as we move towards the 2021 elections. This includes re-working through the eye of the needle and implementing the resolutions of the 54th national elective conference for the establishment of a permanent election commission and we’ll provide guidelines and coordination and evaluation of the councillors before the candidate list. ”

The NEC has resolved to develop a strategic plan to move South Africa towards cost effective low-carbon energy to help tackle climate change. Magashule says the meeting discussed strengthening local government and strategies to improve the economy.

“With regards to climate change particularly in the energy sector the integrated resource plan should articulate the lowest cost option for the future energy mix of South Africa with increased contribution of renewable energy sources. The NEC agreed to develop a strategy on a just transition to a low carbon path of development that takes into account the interests of workers, communities and broader society. This should include new technologies which require platinum group metals which South Africa has in abundance. “

Speaking at the same event, ANC NEC  member and Co-operative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has encouraged citizens and big businesses to adopt a culture of paying for services.

Dlamini-Zuma says a number of municipalities in the country continue to be faced with the challenge of non-payment.  “Let’s have a culture of paying when we are supposed to, that’s why we are saying national government must pay Eskom or all the municipalities must pay, it’s not just the citizens, everyone must pay. Please pay; we are also saying Eskom because they also owe municipalities. “