The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has chosen an interim leadership core in an effort to rebuild the organisation and prepare for a properly constituted national conference in September.
The organisation made the announcement at a media briefing at the African National Congress (ANC) headquarters in Johannesburg on Friday.
Sanco’s fourth national conference was adjourned in confusion on its second day in Bloemfontein last year. Amid violence, the conference failed to elect new leaders.
”The conference was not successful; it failed to discuss any report or policies … it also failed to elect a new leadership with a new mandate,” Sanco president Mlungisi Hlongwane said.
He said the interim leadership core will be made up of three ANC representatives, two from the South African Communist Party (SACP), two from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and six Sanco nominees. The core will be convened by the ANC.
Hlongwane said Sanco has invited the ANC to bring the civic organisation ”back to normality.”
”The ANC national chairperson, secretary general, Cosatu leadership and the SACP have successfully engaged with the leadership of Sanco and convened numerous meetings aimed at finding a lasting solution to challenges that are facing the civic,” he said.
Since December, Sanco has held several meetings and agreed to study its constitution and work towards a common goal. It has agreed on several issues, one of them being that the national executive committee will remain intact until new leaders are elected.
”It is our submission that this process has been difficult, but all leaders have come to a common understanding that Sanco does not belong to its leadership and it must serve its members and so benefit communities where they are located,” Hlongwane said.
The interim leadership will have the powers of the Sanco national working committee and report to the national executive committee.
All correspondence and communication will be directed to and received by the interim leadership.
In addition to the interim leadership, a committee of senior leaders from the alliance will be established to engage with Sanco national office bearers to resolve differences and lay down the foundation for unity and cohesion in the organisation.
It will also be responsible for Sanco’s assets and investment initiatives across the country.
A date for the election of Sanco’s new leaders has not yet been set. — Sapa