ANC 'not a bunch of leftists'

2008-07-16 14:39

Cape Town - ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe on Wednesday dismissed the notion that the party's new leadership consists of "a bunch of leftists", saying this is a myth.

Addressing a meeting of Nehawu Securities asset managers, he said that since the ANC national conference in Polokwane in December there were many questions about the future and the calibre of leadership expected.

"Some see this leadership as just a group of leftists who pose dangers to the solid foundation built over the past 14 years."

This assertion sought to ignore that the ANC had always described itself as a disciplined force of the left and an affiliate of the Socialist International, an international organisation of social democratic parties.

Success

Mantashe said the success over the past decade tended to be attributed to individual leaders who led the movement from time to time.

"This deliberate distortion of facts makes analysts come to the conclusion that change is of necessity a bad thing that should be associated with loss."

In the process, the ANC as an organisation and party disappeared in the shadow of either President Thabo Mbeki or ANC president Jacob Zuma.

Central to this description of the ANC and its leadership was the theme that Polokwane marked the beginning of decline and decay.

The reality of the matter was that Polokwane "rescued our movement from the control of both political and business elite".

It was the beginning of a process of renewal and rectification.

Making SA attractive for investment

Mantashe said the commitments to making South Africa attractive for investment remained strong.

Government's massive infrastructure development and improvement programme would continue and there was understanding that the quality of infrastructure was critical for sustainable economic growth.

However, society should expect a "dialectical combination of continuity and change".

In other words, the ANC "will have to change that which does not work well and leave what works well".

There was going to be a stronger focus on practically addressing the plight of the working people and the poor.

If the deepening poverty, growing inequality and high levels of unemployment were not addressed, success and prosperity would alienate a big section of society, he said.

"We should avoid counterposing the need to address these pre-eminent problems facing society to the need for the creation of a conducive environment for economic growth.

"What we can assure you of is that the ANC leadership is not reckless, nor is it going to behave like a victorious faction.

"We are going to engage any sector in society because we appreciate that we do not have a monopoly on wisdom," he said.

- SAPA