Wally Mbhele
There is a distinct sense of urgency in the office of the African National Congress’s “chief executive”, secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe.
With less than 15 months before next year’s general election, Motlanthe knows a difficult task lies ahead. He has to ensure the ANC scores a decisive victory at the polls on behalf of the jobless and the homeless – whom he considers a key ANC constituency. His task is made even more difficult by the fact that he is a former trade unionist and his constituency is currently at odds with the government’s economic policy.
For him key challenges facing the ANC relate to issues of governance, the state of its organisational structures and the relationship between the government and ANC members outside Parliament.
The crucial ANC national executive committee meeting in Cape Town this weekend will attempt to address those issues as the party begins to prepare its programme for the election.
“One will have to ensure that the right of members to influence the internal policy is protected and ensured,” he said. “We are only 15 months away from the general election. The electorate is going to judge us in terms of our performance as the majority party in government. Certain issues have to be dealt with almost immediately, in the areas of education, housing, crime and corruption. We have to revive the Masakhane campaign and achieve moral renewal at a local level. At the same time, we have to rebuild the structures of the organisation.”
He does not believe ANC structures have become dormant, despite wide speculation about this in political circles.
“Many ANC members who are either in professions or the corporate world feel left out of the process, which accounts for an apparent lack of activity. The new dynamic is such that the government has to govern and ministers have to come out with policies relevant to the people.”
He concedes, however, that there is a perception among ANC members that the government is failing to consult them on key issues which affect their lives.
“Sometimes members read [in the media] about programmes that are of their own making through their own organisation … We have got to try to bring back that vibrancy in the branches and all structures at all levels, and improve on our communication so that the members learn about the activities of the organisation.
“We’ll have to get the branches to take full responsibility for ensuring our people do register and participate in the election … We need our branches to play a very active role.”
Ironically, it is this perceived lack of consultation that has become a source of tension between the ANC and the union movement in which Motlanthe was, until recently, an office bearer.
To many observers, it is inconceivable that he could reconcile his position in the ANC with the unions, which are openly hostile to the government’s macro-economic strategy.
“I hope I can bring to the ANC an understanding of the unions’ reservations about Gear [the growth, employment and redistribution strategy]. I also hope I will be able to take to the union movement an understanding of considerations which inform the government’s macro-economic policy.”
Motlanthe seems to take solace from President Nelson Mandela’s admission at the Congress of South African Trade Unions’ congress last year that the process of formulating Gear was not fully participatory “and consultation was very little”, if there was any at all.
“[Mandela] stated as much that as the Constitution can be amended, Gear can also be amended. There is an opportunity now for all stakeholders to influence the reshaping of our macro-economic policy.”
Rampant crime is certain to be one of the key election issues, and Motlanthe says the battle against it will be won by narrowing the operational field of criminals.
“Once you have a society where there are no values at all and people hardly frown at criminal activity, where criminals begin to assume a heroic stature, then of course crime tends to thrive. We have to achieve moral renewal at local residential level and community level,” he argues.
Asked if he would in future consider accepting a parliamentary seat, Motlanthe gives a terse reply: “I would rather go back to the union than go to Parliament. I’m not cut out for Parliament.”