Forsaking high office in order to build the organisation should be the highest honour for members of the African National Congress (ANC), said the ruling party’s national treasurer Mendi Msimang on Saturday.
”Election to high office in the ANC should not be regarded as a stepping stone to government position or the accumulation of wealth,” he said.
Msimang was addressing the ANC Gauteng’s tenth provincial conference at Gallagher Estate in Midrand.
”The ANC was formed as a parliament of the African people whose leadership must be drawn from all parts of society and all shades of opinion within the ranks of the movement,” he said.
This comes ahead of the ANC’s national congress in December in Limpopo where party presidency — a ticket to South Africa’s presidency — will be fiercely contested.
Msimang said that on its 100th birthday in 2012, the organisation would be assessed by the generations who would inherit the consequences of its members’ actions.
”The answers that we are able to give in 2012 will depend on how we conduct ourselves in the next few days, and over the next few months.
”I need not remind you that the task of advancing in unity towards a better life for all will never be easy,” he said.
Earlier, Gauteng chairperson Mbhazima Shilowa said unity was not an event but something to work for constantly, and it was non-existent in the ANC on a national level.
Msimang said he agreed with Shilowa that the alliance in Gauteng was strong and firmly rooted in a shared political programme.
Meanwhile, Shilowa said on Saturday he would not accept nomination for the ANC provincial chair in Gauteng, even if his name were ”to crop up from the floor”.
”I informed the provincial executive council this morning [Saturday] that I’m not available. I believe there are capable leaders who can take the ANC to its centenary,” he said.
It was rumoured that Shilowa would be waiting in the wings should there be a stalemate between the new candidates — Angie Motshekga and Paul Mashatile.
Shilowa said people should not read too much into his decision.
If he had had an interest in the national leadership, he would have run for the position in 1997 and 2001, instead of opting for the role of Gauteng premier, he said.
Nationally the organisation and the alliance was fractious but in Gauteng the situation was ”very healthy”, he said.
”While there is unnecessary bickering at national level, the ANC is very strong in Gauteng and structures have been able to engage.”
The conference was attended by the ANC’s national executive committee members, including Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Frene Ginwala, Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula, Joel Netshitenzhe and Gert Oosthuizen.
Shilowa warned delegates not to speak ill of ANC leaders. ”Speak well of your preferred leader and don’t speak ill of my leader,” he said.
He said there was a need to be concerned about the unity and cohesion in the party, and delegates needed to remember that unity was not an event but a process.
”I’m concerned it [disunity at national level] will affect the province. People should not plead allegiance with individuals. We joined the ANC not individuals. — Sapa