/ 9 January 2009

Mkhize: ANC needs people with humility

People with humility, dedication and efficiency is what the ANC needs to lead the party to victory, the party's KZN chairperson said on Friday.

People with humility, dedication and efficiency is what the African National Congress needs to lead the party to victory in the 2009 general election, the party’s KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Dr Zweli Mkhize said on Friday.

”We want people like this to be elected … because the ANC has the best team to compete with what the opposition puts forward,” he told hundreds of delegates at the country’s first-held provincial list committee in Durban’s Greyville area.

”We are going into the elections very confident because there’s a contribution we can make to changing the lives of our people …”

He said the party’s president Jacob Zuma was their presidential candidate and nothing would change their mind.

”Zuma is our candidate for president of South Africa before, during and after the elections and nothing that happens in any court will change that.”

He said the party was on a mission to improve the lives of the people it served.

”We must show the people what the ANC is about, show them we are about fighting crime, fighting poverty.”

Speaking about party defectors, Mkhize said those who left the party, would be regarded as opposition, along with the other 150 registered political parties.

”Anyone who’s wanting to go to another party are welcome to … but you will be our opposition.”

By mid-afternoon at least 821 delegates had queued at the DLI hall to vote for people to represent the party in the provincial legislature and national Parliament.

”We are voting for the face of the ANC … We come here to choose the leaders we want to deploy,” said Mkhize.

KwaZulu-Natal ANC secretary Senzo Mchunu said delegates would choose 200 candidates for the provincial legislature and 200 for the national Parliament.

Once voting had taken place, the provincial list committee would go over the list to ensure certain requirements were met. These included 50% female representation on the list, inclusion of both young and old, racial balance and geographical spread.

The results were expected to be released to the public at the national conference on January 25.

Police earlier said security would be tightened for the event because of disruptions by rival political groups at previous meetings.

”We are happy that the conference went smoothly,” said Mchunu.

Meanwhile, Mkhize said there was no need for such security. There were no police present at Friday’s event.

”This is the ANC, we don’t need security. The ANC does not disrupt and the ANC does not get disrupted. The ANC is a peaceful group.”

He said their members remained disciplined.

Before voting, he urged delegates to conduct the process with integrity to ”reflect the good spirit of the ANC”.

The party’s provincial secretary Senzo Mchunu said the process of nominating candidates had started a long time ago at branch level.

”[A]nd today we are consolidating lists. Once we have consolidated all lists from branches, we will vote and come up with one list before the end of today’s conference,” he said. – Sapa