ANC+keeps+partners+in+check



=ANC keeps partners in check=

The Star, April 20, 2005.

 * By Karima Brown**

With their recent differences now seemingly behind them, the ANC, Cosatu and SA Communist Party are this weekend expected to unite around trying to deliver an outright ANC victory at the poll at the local elections.

On the eve of the trio's alliance summit to be held this weekend, the ANC is firmly in the driving seat in terms of influencing the agenda and direction of the tripartite alliance.

The ANC's position is further bolstered by the fact that both Cosatu and the SACP have once again decided to throw their weight behind the party's election campaign in the upcoming local government elections.

This is despite the recent public differences over issues such as Zimbabwe, black economic empowerment and key economic policy questions.

The challenges facing the ANC at local government level will force the alliance partners not to allow any tensions to minimise their capacity to run an effective local government campaign, says political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi.

"The ANC needs an emphatic victory at the polls, especially in places like KwaZulu Natal, where tensions between the ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party are running high in the aftermath of the IFP's loss of power at a provincial level."

For the ANC, the summit has to address the broad challenges of transformation, service delivery and the upcoming local government elections, says the party's spokesperson, Smuts Ngonyama.

The Know Your Neighbourhood campaign is part of the alliance programme of action already agreed to by the various parties in the "ten a side" preparatory meetings that were held ahead of the summit, which is due to begin on Friday.

Through this campaign, it is hoped the alliance will "reconnect" with its mass base so as to address the tide of disaffection that has characterised communities as they battle corrupt municipal officials in their daily struggle to access basic services.

However, South Africa's economic realities will be the subject of vigorous debates between the parties. Failure to come to an agreement on key economic issues does, however, hold the potential for more conflict and tension.

Economic transformation, jobs, unemployment and economic growth are some of the issues that will dominate discussion at the summit.

Ahead of the summit, Cosatu has given notice that it will mobilise its members for strike action if the "job loss bloodbath" is not stemmed, and while Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says the summit is not the forum to discuss the issue, it will have an impact on the discussions.

Cynics also argue that now that Cosatu and the SACP are firmly behind the ruling party's election machine, the ANC can afford to pay lip service to the demands of its allies.

However, the majority of the ANC's supporters are the very poor, and failure to address the real challenges of unemployment and poverty will result in a backlash that could see the ANC in power but stripped of its credibility on the ground. - Political Bureau.


 * karimab@ptanews.co.za