The ANC’s three-day national general council (NGC) under way in Boksburg, Gauteng, opened with a firm message from President Cyril Ramaphosa that corruption within the party will not be tolerated. This year’s NGC comes as the party strives to regain the trust of citizens amid widespread criticism that it has allowed a culture of corruption to flourish within its ranks. As part of its bid to restore public confidence, the ANC at its 2022 national conference adopted a resolution to rigorously implement the organisation’s renewal programme.
Delivering his political overview report at the opening of the NGC, Ramaphosa — who singled out tenders as the main source of corruption — said the only way the party could regain public trust was through fully embracing the renewal programme. If the ANC can demonstrably renew itself, public attitudes toward our movement will shift from cynicism to cautious optimism. We have to earn trust through our actions, not words.
Among other measures, the programme demands strict discipline from members, with those facing corruption allegations required to step aside from both government and party positions. Members who recently stepped aside in line with the programme included suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu, accused of undermining police investigations, and ANC National Assembly Defence portfolio committee chairperson Malusi Gigaba, accused of corruption. Ramaphosa made it clear that ANC members involved in corruption or other criminal acts would be expelled.
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As renewal gains momentum, those whose conduct conflicts with our values — the criminals, the corrupt, the careerists and extortionists — will find themselves outside of the ANC. The ANC NGC, Ramaphosa added, should reflect on the government’s practice of outsourcing most of its functions to private individuals through tenders, particularly those involving basic services.
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