9th+Congress,+Political,+2+of+8,+Working+Class+Hegemony+in+ANC

Draft Adopted Resolutions of the 9th COSATU National Congress

 * (For advance study purposes only. Wait for the printed edition, or refer to the official [|COSATU web site]for the authoritative version.)**

Political Resolutions, 2 of 8
=1.1 Advancing Working Class Hegemony within the ANC=


 * Noting:**

1. The current class composition of the structures of the ANC

2. That COSATU as an organised formation of the working class has class interest in the policy direction that the ANC and the state pursues. > 1. That while the historical constituency of the ANC remains the black working class and poor majority, the national leadership of the ANC is increasingly becoming capitalist and middle-strata in composition and character. Furthermore the organization is also dominated by a cadre in the state and few outside of the state. Working class leadership has been weakened within the national leadership structures of the ANC. > 2. The undefined role of ANC in relation to the state has rendered the ANC ineffective in relation to the mass movements and connections with our people.

3. That a succession debate is underway in our country, which has polarised the Alliance formations, and that COSATU as an organised formation of the working class has class interest in the policy direction that the ANC and the state pursues.

4. That it has become a habit to elevate individuals over principle, thus undermining the revolutionary morality that has guided the liberation movement.

6. The resolution of the 8th National Congress for COSATU members to “swell the ranks of the ANC.”


 * Believing**

As an organised formation of the working class we have a non-sectarian, principled class interest in the working class biasness of the ANC, and that the policy orientation and leadership of the ANC must reflect its working class biasness.


 * Resolve:**

1. The 8th National Congress on swelling the ranks of the ANC must be based on the following guidelines: > a. Working class cadres must ensure that activities of the ANC structures (including meeting agendas) are dominated by working class issues and concerns - the Freedom Charter clauses - not dominated by BEEs, tenders, factionalism etc. > b. Working class cadres must contest for leading positions of the ANC to ensure that business persons do not dominate the ANC. > c. Working class cadres must expose the post-1996 class project, its limitations and its crisis. This must not be done in a factionalist manner, but in a manner that encourages debate and discussion within the ANC structures. > d. Working class cadres must promote the unity of the Alliance and involvement of the Alliance in all activities of the ANC and visa-versa.

2. The structures of the affiliates and the federation must on an ongoing basis do an audit to assess whether we are realizing the decision which calls on our members to swell the ranks of the ANC and participate within the structures of the ANC.

3. That how we enter the succession debate must be influenced by our endeavours to unite the liberation movement, and to that end, under what type of presidency > a. The first CC after Congress must enter into a principled debate and resolve on the programme that must unite the NLM and identify leadership which can best pursue this programme in the interest of the working class > b. The CC upon resolving on the above must give a mandate to the NOBs to manage this process so that it is not handled in a factionalist way within the alliance as a whole. The CEC/CC to develop and craft guidelines on the debate

4. While COSATU will continue to support the ANC in the next period. We note that currently the ANC is dominated by the interest of capital rather than that of the working class. COSATU at its first CEC in 2007 should develop a set of against which to measure the extent to which the ANC is able to shift to represent the interest of the working class. The criteria shall include: > a. implementing the nationalisation provisions of the freedom charter > b. An end to privatisation, public private partnerships and the commercialisation of service delivery > c. The adoption of economic policy that ensures the distribution of wealth among the poor > d. The abolition of legislation that is not worker friendly > The criteria must include measurable outcomes, with specified timescales so that by June 2008 we are able to assess the extent to which these criteria have been met. The hope is that other unions, NGOs and and social movements will generate their own list of demands. In this way all issues will be covered > On the basis of progress made in this regard, COSATU CEC shall deliberate on the way forward > To reclaim ownership of the ANC so that it becomes a real instrument of people’s power and plays a positive role towards the achievement of a free, just and equal South Africa, in particular through swelling the ranks of the ANC in line with the 2015 Plan. To this end, our members particularly the leadership should bring their ANC membership cards to all Constitutional meetings as proof and encouragement to other members. This responsibility should be given to the CEC to ensure adequate monitoring

5. The forthcoming ANC national conference presents another opportunity for the working class to assert its leadership in the NDR.

6. Popularise our understanding that the ANC must be a pro-poor working class bias, anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist liberation movement.

7. That the CC upon resolving on the basic principles to guide this engagement mandates the NOB’s and the COSATU Political Commission to manage this process so that it is not handled in a factionalist way which may polarize the national liberation movement.

8. That congress further resolves that the process of deployment in whatever position will be a process managed jointly by a team of the alliance partner.