Africa-Press – South-Africa. The ANC’s Gauteng provincial task team (PTT) has announced that preparations are under way for the four regions expected to go to conference.
PTT co-ordinator Hope Papo said they have made “good progress,” in meeting the targets announced by party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula earlier this year on the guidelines to be met before a region being eligible for internal elections.
The four regions — Greater Johannesburg, Greater Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Sedibeng — are expected to hold conferences to elect new leadership this year.
Papo said the regions reported making inroads on the political education front, saying the foundation course mandated for branches to undergo has been well received.
“More than 140 branches in both Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni have made significant strides in completing the five foundation course modules, reinforcing a culture of ideological work and political discipline. More work is continuing at branch level to implement the foundation course.”
Hailing the course as a cornerstone of the party’s long-standing renewal agenda, he added that the PTT has resolved to ensure that all outstanding branches conclude the modules as expected.
Another standard set for eligibility is community outreach, which the party believes will help it reconnect with voters at the grassroots level.
“Through Letsema campaigns and other programmes, branches are reconnecting with communities, addressing local concerns, and rebuilding trust with the people,” he said.
Papo conceded that the consolidation of recruitment remains a challenge, but said that their upper structures are looking to rectify the issue.
“Though there are still teething problems with the ANC online membership system, they are being attended to daily by the ANC national organising and membership department working directly with regions and branches. Efforts have been and are continuing to be made through the new ANC online membership system to ensure accuracy in branch membership information ahead of BBGMs and BGMs.”
The conferences are scheduled to be held between July and August.
However, Papo indicated that previously communicated conference road maps may be altered, indicating a possible change to some of the dates.
“Where necessary, RTTs should rework their conference road maps to ensure maximum participation of branches. We will also intensify support to RTTs to ensure unifying and credible conference processes.
“That will include working with branches and regions to gather all the facts to subject cases of disruption of a few BBGMs to disciplinary processes of the organisation. No one has a right to deny ANC members their right to meet and exercise their internal democratic processes.”
These internal contests will be crucial for the party, as the regional leaders elected are will be spearheading Luthuli House’s campaign to claw back electoral support during the upcoming local government elections.
The PTT reported that they recognise the need to consolidate organisational readiness for the upcoming local polls.
Papo revealed that the task team has established a provincial list committee in line with guidelines set by the party headquarters.
“A full-time provincial elections machinery is being established, supported by a structured campaign strategy focused on targeting areas of electoral decline, including suburbs and historically marginalised communities, strengthening by-election performance, party agent training, and deployment logistics and intensifying youth-focused campaigns through increased voter registration, ID drives and sectoral outreach.”
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