Crunch time for ANC

Johannesburg – The ANC wants its public representatives in national, provincial and local government to sign a contract with the party that could lead to their being axed if they fail to honour it.

This is among far-reaching proposed changes to the ANC’s constitution that are to be discussed by delegates to its Mangaung conference. Most proposed amendments to the constitution are aimed at closing loopholes and beefing up party discipline with tough sanctions for breaking its rules. A copy of the proposed contract forms part of a bulky document that suggests the changes to the constitution – and which has been distributed to members and delegates. The proposed changes would result in any member, office-bearer or public representative facing disciplinary action if convicted in court of fraud, theft of money, corruption, money laundering, racketeering or any other ‘financial impropriety’. Also, any breach of a ‘contract of deployment’ – including failing, refusing or neglecting to carry out an instruction or mandate of the ANC parliamentary caucus – would result in disciplinary proceedings by a national officials committee. This is viewed as being a direct response to those who defied the three-line whip compelling ANC MPs to vote in favour of the Protection of State Information Bill when it was passed in the National Assembly last year. In what may be a rebuke of ANC members who represented former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema at his disciplinary case, charging or soliciting a fee for representing a charged member could also result in sanction.Public representatives may be suspended and removed from any lists entitling them to represent the ANC at any level of government during disciplinary proceedings, and their contracts may be cancelled.It is understood that the proposed amendments are the work of a six-member panel comprising Derek Hanekom, Cyril Ramaphosa, ANC chief prosecutor Uriel Abrahamse, Western Cape head of justice Hishaam Mohamed, and lawyers Krish Naidoo and Mathobela Sishuba.The team have worked on the document over the past two months. Almost half of the proposals in the document are to be introduced for the first time on the first day of the national conference.Another proposed amendment is that the national general council be recognised as a formal structure of the party, along with a national and provincial officials committee.The ANC’s national working committee is to set up several committees – for political education and leadership development, organisation and mass mobilisation, information and publicity, governance, research, monitoring and evaluation, and international relations – that are to be headed by full-time staff.LOST MORAL COMPASS Meanwhile, religious leaders have written to President Jacob Zuma, warning that the public is concerned that South Africa has lost its moral compass, it was reported on Tuesday.The Star reported that, in the letter, the clerics expressed the view that ‘our democracy can be significantly improved’.The letter was signed by Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of Church Leaders Consultation, Bishop Joe Seoka of the SA Council of Churches, Rev Moss Ntla of the Evangelical Alliance of SA, and Rev Edwin Arrison of Kairos Southern Africa.’They [South Africans] yearn for a change from an increasingly corrupt political, business and societal culture to one that is accountable to the people,’ the clerics wrote.Copies were sent to political and economic leaders, including Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille.The presidency confirmed that Zuma had seen the letter.Ahead of the ANC’s elective conference in Mangaung, the clerics said the public was not interested in ‘a superficial change of one self-serving political leader for another, or one political party for another’.Many of the church people prayed for Zille because she sought to help South Africa onto a ‘more healthy footing’, the newspaper reported.INDECISIONWith only a few days to go before the ANC’s elective conference in Mangaung it is still not clear if Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe has accepted a nomination to lead the party.ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said this would be made public at the conference, which starts on Sunday.’It is conference which needs that confirmation,’ he said.’All those who qualify, they are then approached by the electoral commission and asked if they accept or decline. This happens between now and the conference.’Mthembu said not even the ANC knew who had accepted nominations yet.Nomination conferences by the ANC’s nine provincial branches and three leagues ended on Thursday, nearly a week after the deadline.KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, North West and Mpumalanga nominated President Jacob Zuma to stand for a second term as party president.The ANC Women’s and Veterans’ leagues also nominated Zuma.Gauteng, Limpopo, the Western Cape, and the ANC Youth League nominated Motlanthe. – Nampa-Sapa-iol