Secretary-general of the ANC Kgalema Motlanthe spared no punches when he presented his organisational report to the national conference this week. Mandy Rossouw looks at which provinces came out tops and which need to take a long hard look at themselves.
Overachievers
Eastern Cape verdict: Incredible. Spectacular. Miraculous
Motlanthe could not find enough glowing terms with which to describe the performance of the Eastern Cape and told delegates that the turnaround of the province should be studied by other provinces. Both the 1999 and 2000 elections saw the number of votes cast for the ANC rise significantly, the largest in the country. The largest swing in votes in the country is in King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality where the ANC scored 36% in 1999 and 59% in 2004. The province also recorded the highest turnout of registered voters (56%) and the strongest growth in ANC votes of any province. The growth in the province is being described as ”spectacular” and today one in four ANC members are in the Eastern Cape. The irony which Motlanthe pointed out is that the province had the lowest percentage of people using electricity for lighting and heating as well as people with access to piped water.
Achievers
Free State verdict: On the straight and narrow (at last)
Membership has declined between the 1999 and 2004 elections but has doubled since the Stellenbosch conference. Provincial leadership had to function despite significant challenges in the province, such as well-funded dissident groups with access to parallel recruitment that are used in various tactics. The management of relations between the organisation and government have improved considerably.
Gauteng verdict: Rich but still apathetic
Problems that arise from rapid urban growth and immigration find their sharpest expression in Gauteng, because of the province’s leading role in the economic sphere. The growth in ANC membership is slower in Gauteng than any other province, combined with low turnout and a decline in numbers of ANC members between the 1999 and 2004 elections. Motlanthe praised the organisational capabilities of the province and the way in which the organs of state relate to the organisation at provincial and local levels. The Imvuselelo campaign, to regenerate the branches, was pioneered in Gauteng and the strength and unity of the alliance remains enviable. Membership of the province remains of a higher overall quality.
KwaZulu-Natal verdict: The hills are alive
The growth in ANC support is significant, with the membership almost doubling since 2002. Provincial unity has been put under strain because of the difficulties surrounding ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma, but the province remain ”united and acquitted itself well”. The lessons to be learnt from KZN include how comrades deployed in government ensure that people on the ground benefit from initiatives meant to building a better life for them.
Limpopo verdict: Ag shame
This is the only province where membership today is less than it was 10 years ago. Branches have low membership figures and, with the lack of active opposition in the province, Motlanthe warned against complacency. Today 81% of people in the province has access to electricity for lighting and development opportunities are underway to bring about significant reductions in poverty.
ANC Women’s League verdict: Getting old
The league launched activities such as the campaign to save the life of Nigerian Amina Lawal, who is on death row for having a child out of wedlock; the Find Rasuge campaign (Francis Rasuge was a police constable who disappeared and has allegedly been killed by her boyfriend); and the launch of the Progressive Women’s Movement of South Africa. However, most members are older black women from the unskilled, semi-skilled and unemployed working class and the league is urged to recruit women from professional, middle-class backgrounds and young women.
ANC national parliamentary caucus verdict: Finding its feet
Although some of them do important work and are active in the structures of the movement at various levels, others could do a great deal more. Improved coordination of work in ANC branches are needed. Caucuses also need to be strengthened as critical instruments for robust oversight, mutual accountability, collective leadership and discipline amongst cadres deployed to government, parliament, legislatures and municipalities.
Underachievers
Mpumalanga verdict: Also known as Mamparalanga
The province has made significant strides in shaking off its image of one that is fraught with corruption and other negative practices. In some areas ill discipline, instability and division within the ranks of the ANC have not helped the situation.
Northern Cape verdict: Drying up in the desert
Challenges in this province include the moving away of branch executive members in search of better opportunities and the vast distances, rural conditions and sparse population. Ill discipline and unrevolutionary conduct of the membership has been on the increase in the province. The manner in which some members are conducting themselves has created serious problems for the organisation. The province is, however, a pioneer in developing a close working relationship among mass organisations.
North West verdict: So-so
Some campaigns relating to HIV and Aids have been successful, but more work is needed to ensure that all branches embark on the minimum amount of campaigns prescribed by the provincial programme. The province has seen many public protests that reflect the weaknesses of the ANC. These include weak and absent branches, disunity arising from the list processes and an absence of consistent implementation of alliance programmes. Tensions between the government of the province and the structures of the ANC could lead to the further weakening of the organisation.
Western Cape verdict: Class dunce
The party still is not in a position of hegemony throughout the province and there has been little significant growth in ANC membership or in strengthening the organisation. Problems of political disunity and lack of cohesion remain a serious concern. Motlanthe said that when the ANC was in opposition in the province it was more united and cohesive than is the case now.
Factionalism has been prevalent since the party now has access to public resources after winning the province. Also, the problems are said to be worse than they were before. Motlanthe gave the leadership in the province a scathing review, saying that they ”fail to listen to each other” and fuel the perception that there are two ANC’s, one in government and one outside government.
National executive committee verdict: Disgrace
The depth and value of discussions could have been better, as well as the ability of the NEC to arrive at clear conclusions. NEC members were also rapped over the knuckles because of their lack of participation in mass work of the organisation. The release of ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma from his duties in government placed the NEC under tremendous strain. The NEC suffers from media leaks with ”unnamed sources” which provide credible as well as complete fabrications to journalists. Motlanthe criticised some NEC members for ignoring guidelines regarding the nomination and election of leadership and that they ”participate in public campaigns to condemn and denigrate some leaders of the movement and glorify others”. The NEC treats branches as ”voting fodder” where key decisions are taken without serious political discussion. Motlanthe admitted the ”Mbeki/Zuma template” has become part of the frame of reference.
ANC Youth League verdict: Useless
The national leadership has extended its term of office beyond the three years stipulated in the Constitution while the national conference is overdue. In the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Western Cape there are no elected provincial executive committees for the Youth League. The league’s actions sometimes create the perception that it is not quite amenable to the organisational discipline of the ANC.