Democracy+and+cash+are+on+the+ANC+agenda,+IOL



=Democracy and cash are on the ANC agenda=

IOL, ex Cape Argus, July 05 2005 at 12:52PM
While the African National Congress's four-day national general council (NGC) was dominated by the Jacob Zuma controversy, the ruling party also took several important decisions.

Some of the decisions taken at the mid-term conference, which ended on Sunday, were:


 * The ANC's rank-and-file shot down a proposal that would interfere with their democratic right to directly elect party leaders without any meddling from above, arguing that they had not had enough time to consider the matter as the document had been sent to them just days before the council.

Among the proposals on the ANC's organisational design discussed at the summit was the establishment of an electoral commission which would oversee elections.


 * But delegates felt differently.

"While ensuring ongoing cadre development and nurturing of leadership elected to ANC constitutional structures, the commission disagreed with the proposal that an electoral commission should oversee this process," they said.


 * The cash-strapped ANC wants state funding to political parties to be substantially increased in an apparent bid to ease its financial woes and safeguard its integrity. It also plans to lead the way in terms of disclosing private funding.

The need for extra cash is even more urgent given the fact that the party's national executive committee has to come up with a plan for its unemployed deputy president Jacob Zuma.

The issue of private and state funding was debated. In an apparent reference to the various scandals involving donations to the party, delegates said that to safeguard the integrity of the ANC and the system of multi-party democracy, there should be a significant increase in public funding for political parties in parliament, operating at national and provincial level.

Delegates also urged the ANC to be transparent about private donations made to the party following the recent Oilgate scandal.


 * Given the number of ANC members in business and the challenge of corruption in the party's ranks, delegates urged the party's national executive committee to develop protocols to regulate the conduct of ANC members in respect of their participation in business.

Delegates also agreed with a call by secretary-general Kgalema Motlanthe for a cooling-off period or restraint of trade for public representatives and officials after leaving office.

Draft regulations on the issue have already been submitted to the Cabinet and are being finalised by the department of public service and administration.


 * The NGC rejected proposed labour reforms which would have seen radical changes, including a dual wage system aimed at reducing the levels of unemployment.


 * The NGC reinforced earlier party policies on the strength of the rand, saying it should be competitive and stable. - Political Bureau


 * From: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=6&art_id=vn20050705110834498C531364