Declarations
7th Provincial Conference Declaration
7 June 2012
This historic conference takes place during an important epoch of our struggle, it happens during the celebration of hundred years of unbroken people’s struggle in pursuit for a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa. More than eight-hundred (800) delegates gathered here making the conference the largest ever Provincial Conference in the Northern Cape. The size of the conference and the extra-ordinary focus and unity displayed by delegates finally erased the ugly chapter of the 6th Provincial Conference.
2. The theme of the conference is “100 YEARS OF SELFLESS STRUGGLE: UNITY IN DIVERSITY”. This theme reaffirms the centrality and importance of Unity in Action. Unity is the rock on which the ANC was found, it is the heart of our glorious movement. As delegates we commit ourselves to consistently work for unity and fearlessly fight factionalism and patronage in all its manifestations.
3. In celebrating the centenary of our heroic struggles, conference paid tribute to the contribution of our forbearers and the role played by the class of 1944 led by some of the gallant fighters such as: O.R. Tambo, Walter Sisulu, N.R. Mandela and many more brave and militant young activists.
4. Conference delegates further declared and reaffirmed the profound assertion made by one of its former President, Dr. A.B. Xuma, in his Presidential address on the 14th December 1941, he said: “You and I are inheritors of these great traditions. We are debtors to their fine examples. We are urged not to only build upon the foundation they laid but also to improve and modernize the plan of their structure. To do this requires the best African brains, and I believe we have them at this conference. It calls for the greatest effort of us wherever we are and whoever we are, to do our duty. Congress claim us, Congress demands our best services for our people”.
5. Conference delegates declared to emulate the fighting spirit of all ANC torchbearers and those who paid the ultimate price in the prosecution of our heroic struggles. Conference declared that all delegates and members must seriously take the task of leading and pioneering the struggle for total transformation and socio-economic freedom.
6. Conference further declared that all challenges facing the ANC today can be addressed by fully understanding the role of the ANC as an agent for change. Membership of the ANC needs to have a better understanding of all ANC policies and our strategic and tactical approaches to contemporary day challenges confronted by our revolution.
7. As delegates to this 7th Provincial Conference of the ANC in the Northern Cape, drawn from all corners of our beautiful province, dedicate ourselves to meeting the challenges of the ongoing struggle for socio-economic emancipation of our people as a key pillar of our National Democratic Revolution.
8. The NDR is the vantage point on which we enthusiastically stand to confront the challenges of fundamental transformation of our country and the province. We are conscious of the fact that the legacy of apartheid permeates every facet of South African society and that poverty, unemployment and inequalities remain serious challenges starkly facing the people of our country.
9. We, therefore, commit ourselves as the delegates of this conference to work tirelessly to ensure the removal of every vestige of apartheid past. This includes the fundamental transformation of the apartheid mining and industrial complex that is reproducing racial underdevelopment and unsustainable patterns of accumulation of wealth.
10. Through our efforts of organisational renewal we shall focus on preserving the core values and traditions that continue to make our movement different from any other party in the country. Thus, we will resist and guard against the erosion of ANC’s values and fight against factionalism, neo-patrimonialism, corruption and ill-discipline. In putting our movement on a path to rebirth we shall continue with our revolutionary work to foster unity and cohesion in the work of our structures. 11. Humility, honesty, hardwork, self discipline and integrity should be the key attributes that defines the conduct of all our members and particularly those given the privilege to lead the organisation and government. Our commitment remains to build the ANC as a true mass based vanguard movement for the transformation of our society, as a disciplined force of the left, organised to conduct persistent struggles in pursuit of a caring society. 12. Therefore we will act in unison to share a common understanding of the contending views in our society, the motive forces and how as a movement we engage with these views and how to mobilise the motive forces. We shall also teach others, the nature and character of our organisation as a revolutionary movement. This will be done as part of our work engaging in ideological battles.
13. This 7th Provincial Conference conference applauds the fundraising efforts of the last PEC. In our effort to strengthen the organisation we shall enhance and improve the financial sustainability of the organisation and we further recommit ourselves to work towards better audit outcomes by the next conference. 14. Conference noted progress made on all fronts of transformation, however the restructuring and modernisation of our economy remains a challenge. South Africa`s macro-economic position should enable the democratic government to direct more resources towards social spending and infrastructure roll-out.
15. We call on mining houses in the province to increase local procurement targets. This will strengthen both backward and forward linkages in the mineral sector. These linkages will consolidate the industrial base of the province thereby creating more job opportunities in the secondary sector of the economy. This will help to provide a sustainable response to the challenges of youth unemployment confronted by the country.
16. We declare that the establishment of the university in our province should serve as a catalyst for economic growth. Hence, conference supports a multi-campus model that will ensure that the benefits derived from the establishment of the university are stretched throughout the province.
17. The risk posed by un-rehabilitated mines in the province has devastating consequences and therefore the conference calls on the Department of Mineral Resources to fast-track the process of rehabilitation of the mining dumps in the province and improvement of security in those sites.
18. The vibrancy, depth of discussion, and unity of this Conference has reaffirmed that as a province we remain focused on the organisational tasks ahead. One such task is taking the province to the 53rd National Conference in Mangaung, Bloemfontein. The province strenuously refuses to be recklessly dragged into the debate of leadership election in this conference. We believe that such debates are premature and ill-informed and in the main propelled by personal ambition.
19. At a right time the province will robustly engage with debates on the leadership election in the 53rd National Conference with the same vigour we engage with policy documents and the leadership elections in our 7th Provincial Conference. Our engagements in these debates will be informed by the need to consolidate unity in the province and will be guided by the outcome of branch nomination processes. We declare as conference to counter any form of opportunism and populism in dealing with this matter.
20. The conference acknowledges that the 2014 General Elections will be difficult. We believe as conference that at the heart of our arsenal for overwhelming election victory is unity and political activism among our cadres. Electoral victory is not a permanent feature as we witnessed over the past ten years. As the ANC in the province has been experiencing decline in its electoral support. As the conference we declare to work extraordinarily hard with all Alliance partners, and soon after this conference put up election structures to ensure an overwhelming 70% victory of the ANC in the 2014 General Elections.
21. As delegates and custodians of a rich heritage of struggles of the generations of Dude, Makgatho, Mahabane, Gumede, Seme, Xuma, Luthuli, Tambo, Mandela, Mbeki, Charlotte Maxeke, Lilian Ngoyi, Peter Mokaba, Zuma and many others, we declare our homage and respect to the Veterans our glorious movement who have graced this event over the past four days. Gathered with us here are comrades Ishmael Mathobela, Evelyn Lubidla, Dibueng Motsamai, Seapolelo Mothibi, Keikantsene Mothibi, Violet Meruti, David Kgware, Obakeng Itumeleng, Gabatingwe Maropong, Zwelinzima Nowalaza, Christian Hendricks, Fikile Gemba and Magdaline Jacobs.
2. The theme of the conference is “100 YEARS OF SELFLESS STRUGGLE: UNITY IN DIVERSITY”. This theme reaffirms the centrality and importance of Unity in Action. Unity is the rock on which the ANC was found, it is the heart of our glorious movement. As delegates we commit ourselves to consistently work for unity and fearlessly fight factionalism and patronage in all its manifestations.
3. In celebrating the centenary of our heroic struggles, conference paid tribute to the contribution of our forbearers and the role played by the class of 1944 led by some of the gallant fighters such as: O.R. Tambo, Walter Sisulu, N.R. Mandela and many more brave and militant young activists.
4. Conference delegates further declared and reaffirmed the profound assertion made by one of its former President, Dr. A.B. Xuma, in his Presidential address on the 14th December 1941, he said: “You and I are inheritors of these great traditions. We are debtors to their fine examples. We are urged not to only build upon the foundation they laid but also to improve and modernize the plan of their structure. To do this requires the best African brains, and I believe we have them at this conference. It calls for the greatest effort of us wherever we are and whoever we are, to do our duty. Congress claim us, Congress demands our best services for our people”.
5. Conference delegates declared to emulate the fighting spirit of all ANC torchbearers and those who paid the ultimate price in the prosecution of our heroic struggles. Conference declared that all delegates and members must seriously take the task of leading and pioneering the struggle for total transformation and socio-economic freedom.
6. Conference further declared that all challenges facing the ANC today can be addressed by fully understanding the role of the ANC as an agent for change. Membership of the ANC needs to have a better understanding of all ANC policies and our strategic and tactical approaches to contemporary day challenges confronted by our revolution.
7. As delegates to this 7th Provincial Conference of the ANC in the Northern Cape, drawn from all corners of our beautiful province, dedicate ourselves to meeting the challenges of the ongoing struggle for socio-economic emancipation of our people as a key pillar of our National Democratic Revolution.
8. The NDR is the vantage point on which we enthusiastically stand to confront the challenges of fundamental transformation of our country and the province. We are conscious of the fact that the legacy of apartheid permeates every facet of South African society and that poverty, unemployment and inequalities remain serious challenges starkly facing the people of our country.
9. We, therefore, commit ourselves as the delegates of this conference to work tirelessly to ensure the removal of every vestige of apartheid past. This includes the fundamental transformation of the apartheid mining and industrial complex that is reproducing racial underdevelopment and unsustainable patterns of accumulation of wealth.
10. Through our efforts of organisational renewal we shall focus on preserving the core values and traditions that continue to make our movement different from any other party in the country. Thus, we will resist and guard against the erosion of ANC’s values and fight against factionalism, neo-patrimonialism, corruption and ill-discipline. In putting our movement on a path to rebirth we shall continue with our revolutionary work to foster unity and cohesion in the work of our structures. 11. Humility, honesty, hardwork, self discipline and integrity should be the key attributes that defines the conduct of all our members and particularly those given the privilege to lead the organisation and government. Our commitment remains to build the ANC as a true mass based vanguard movement for the transformation of our society, as a disciplined force of the left, organised to conduct persistent struggles in pursuit of a caring society. 12. Therefore we will act in unison to share a common understanding of the contending views in our society, the motive forces and how as a movement we engage with these views and how to mobilise the motive forces. We shall also teach others, the nature and character of our organisation as a revolutionary movement. This will be done as part of our work engaging in ideological battles.
13. This 7th Provincial Conference conference applauds the fundraising efforts of the last PEC. In our effort to strengthen the organisation we shall enhance and improve the financial sustainability of the organisation and we further recommit ourselves to work towards better audit outcomes by the next conference. 14. Conference noted progress made on all fronts of transformation, however the restructuring and modernisation of our economy remains a challenge. South Africa`s macro-economic position should enable the democratic government to direct more resources towards social spending and infrastructure roll-out.
15. We call on mining houses in the province to increase local procurement targets. This will strengthen both backward and forward linkages in the mineral sector. These linkages will consolidate the industrial base of the province thereby creating more job opportunities in the secondary sector of the economy. This will help to provide a sustainable response to the challenges of youth unemployment confronted by the country.
16. We declare that the establishment of the university in our province should serve as a catalyst for economic growth. Hence, conference supports a multi-campus model that will ensure that the benefits derived from the establishment of the university are stretched throughout the province.
17. The risk posed by un-rehabilitated mines in the province has devastating consequences and therefore the conference calls on the Department of Mineral Resources to fast-track the process of rehabilitation of the mining dumps in the province and improvement of security in those sites.
18. The vibrancy, depth of discussion, and unity of this Conference has reaffirmed that as a province we remain focused on the organisational tasks ahead. One such task is taking the province to the 53rd National Conference in Mangaung, Bloemfontein. The province strenuously refuses to be recklessly dragged into the debate of leadership election in this conference. We believe that such debates are premature and ill-informed and in the main propelled by personal ambition.
19. At a right time the province will robustly engage with debates on the leadership election in the 53rd National Conference with the same vigour we engage with policy documents and the leadership elections in our 7th Provincial Conference. Our engagements in these debates will be informed by the need to consolidate unity in the province and will be guided by the outcome of branch nomination processes. We declare as conference to counter any form of opportunism and populism in dealing with this matter.
20. The conference acknowledges that the 2014 General Elections will be difficult. We believe as conference that at the heart of our arsenal for overwhelming election victory is unity and political activism among our cadres. Electoral victory is not a permanent feature as we witnessed over the past ten years. As the ANC in the province has been experiencing decline in its electoral support. As the conference we declare to work extraordinarily hard with all Alliance partners, and soon after this conference put up election structures to ensure an overwhelming 70% victory of the ANC in the 2014 General Elections.
21. As delegates and custodians of a rich heritage of struggles of the generations of Dude, Makgatho, Mahabane, Gumede, Seme, Xuma, Luthuli, Tambo, Mandela, Mbeki, Charlotte Maxeke, Lilian Ngoyi, Peter Mokaba, Zuma and many others, we declare our homage and respect to the Veterans our glorious movement who have graced this event over the past four days. Gathered with us here are comrades Ishmael Mathobela, Evelyn Lubidla, Dibueng Motsamai, Seapolelo Mothibi, Keikantsene Mothibi, Violet Meruti, David Kgware, Obakeng Itumeleng, Gabatingwe Maropong, Zwelinzima Nowalaza, Christian Hendricks, Fikile Gemba and Magdaline Jacobs.