Statement+of+ANC+National+Executive+Committee,+17+March+2007

ANC Media Release, 17 March 2007
=Statement of the ANC National Executive Committee=

The ANC National Executive Committee held a scheduled meeting in Ekurhuleni from 15-17 March 2007.

The meeting focused primarily on the political preparations for the ANC's 52nd National Conference, which will take place in Polokwane, Limpopo in December.

Preparations for the 52nd National Conference
The 52nd National Conference will provide an important opportunity for the ANC to engage with the challenges facing the transformation of South Africa. The conference will adopt a range of resolutions that must give our movement clear strategic direction for the remaining years of the second decade of freedom.

The conclusions we reach in December must therefore be informed by the widest possible input from our people. Members of the ANC - through open discussion in their branches, regions and provinces - as well as the structures of the Alliance and the broad democratic movement must all make a contribution to these important debates.

To initiate and encourage extensive debate, the NEC will be distributing a number of policy discussion documents within the coming week.

These discussion documents will complement the draft Strategy and Tactics document (relaeased last month), which will provide a strategic framework within which all policy discussions should take place. In addition, the ANC will issue an organisational review document, which builds on Strategy and Tactics, focussing on the operations and structures of the ANC.

These are official discussion douments that are meant to create a basis for debate and a structure for further discussion within the branches of the ANC. As such they do not represent the final outcome of the policy process, but rather its beginning. These following policy discussion documents will be released as they are finalised over the next few days:


 * Economic transformation, which outlines the ANC's vision of economic transformation. In doing so, the paper gives detailed consideration to the challenges of buildling a developmental state that can act as an instrument of economic liberation. The tasof the developmental state are also considered, including accelerated and shared growth, industrial strategy and the campaign to defeat unemployment and poverty.
 * The Legislatures and Governance, which provides a basis for discussion of options and proposals in relation to South Africa's electoral system and the future model of governance, including the role of provinces. The document also evaluates the legislan that provides for periodic floor crossing in legislatures, and invites ANC structures to debate the future of such provisions.
 * Social transformation, which identifies the key tasks facing our movement in confronting the challenges of poverty and underdevelopment. Policy proposals and strategic issues are raised in relation to the further development of the comprehensive socisecurity system, confronting the challenge of HIV and AIDS and building our education and health systems. The NEC identified the task of integrated youth development as a critical component of this programme.
 * Transformation of the judicial system, which considers the achievements and challenges we face in building a single, transformed and independent judiciary that operates effectively within the principle of separation of powers, and that ensures universaccess to justice.
 * Peace and Stability, which will facilitate discussions on governance in the criminal justice system and the role of communities and civil society in combating crime and building safe and secure communities.
 * International relations, which analyses international developments, our agenda for Africa, and the tasks facing the ANC as part of the world progressive movement.
 * Revolutionary morality and ethics of the ANC, which considers the challenge of advancing the National Democratic Revolution and its transformation agenda in the context of a capitalist economy, and the issues that emerge in this context, particularly relationship between the ANC and business, and the principles that should guide this.
 * The RDP of the Soul, which reviews the problems of a spiritual and moral nature that have emerged in the era of liberation, and sets out an approach to the 'reconstruction and development' of our nation's soul.
 * Transformation of the media, which reviews the ANC's approach to the battle ideas on the contested terrain of the media. The document considers how to promote the twin and interrelated goals of media freedom and media diversity.
 * Two complementary documents consider the challenges and opportunities facing workers and unions in the course of the NDR. The papers review the process of labour market reform over the last ten years, in the context of dynamic changes heralded by theocess of globalisation, and consider the implications of these processes for our Alliance.

These documents will be distributed to all structures of the ANC in the coming weeks to provide a basis for intensive deliberation leading to the National Policy Conference. On this basis the Policy Conference will adopt draft resolutions that will then be considered for adoption at National Conference.

It needs to be emphasised that only the National Conference adopts ANC policy. As such the discussion documents and the draft resolutions adopted at the Policy Conference do not constitute the conclusion of the policy process, but are critical stages towards the adoption of policy at the December conference.

Report of the task team on alleged e-mails
The NEC received a report from the Task Team that was set up to look at the matter of alleged e-mails purporting to originate from some of the leaders of the movement.

The meeting expressed its gratitude to the Task Team for the effort they put into investigating this matter in so far as it affected the ANC.

The report dealt with technical matters around this issue, as well as organisational and political questions arising therefrom.

Having examined both the findings and recommendations of the Task Team on technical issues pertaining to the alleged e-mails, the NEC concluded as follows:


 * There was nothing in the report that persuaded the NEC to depart from its earlier resolutions on this matter, including, among others, that none of its members was involved in the production of these e-mails, and its expression of confidence in the ofe of the Inspector-General of Intelligence.
 * Noting the limitations in the technical capacity of the task team and some flaws in its approach, the conclusions of the report were not accepted.
 * Arising from the above, the report was not adopted by the meeting. It therefore has no standing within the structures of the movement. The NEC considers these matters as closed.

The NEC wishes again to express its confidence in the members of the Task Team, and welcomes the diligence with which they undertook the task given to them.

Message of support
The NEC extended its best wishes to NEC member Cde Manto Tshabalala-Msimang for a speedy and complete recovery following her transplant operation this week.

In particular, it expressed its hope that Cde Tshabalala-Msimang and her family would be able to derive strength and comfort from the widespread support and well wishes of our people.

Attendance of new Eastern Cape officials
The NEC welcomed to their first NEC meeting the newly-elected Provincial Chairperson and Secretary of the ANC in the Eastern Cape, Cdes Stone Sizani and Sephatho Handi.

Message of congratulation
The NEC congratulated the Proteas for their resounding victory in their opening match of the 2007 Cricket World Cup, and especially the world record set by Herschelle Gibbs.

Issued by: National Executive Committee African National Congress

Smuts Ngonyama 082 994 2112**
 * More information:


 * From: http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/pr/2007/pr0317.html**

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