ANC sets Scorpions deadline
2008-01-20 21:18
Johannesburg - The ANC's national executive committee has resolved that the Scorpions be absorbed into the South African Police Service by June 2008.
"Actually working with (the) government we have agreed that a proper programme and structures to accelerate that process be put in place," ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said on Sunday at the close of NEC's three-day lekgotla in Midrand.
Mantashe said the resolution to incorporate the Scorpions into the SAPS was not informed by or linked to the charges against ANC president Jacob Zuma.
"The question of the charges against the president never arose in the meeting."
Motlanthe as Deputy President
Mantashe also said the case of Jackie Selebi was "not a pre-occupation" of the lekgotla.
Turning to reports that the NEC wanted party deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe to serve as Deputy President of the country, Mantashe said it was "speculation".
Weekend reports suggested that the ANC leadership had pressed President Thabo Mbeki to appoint Motlanthe as a Deputy President alongside Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
ANC policy is that the president and deputy president of the party serve the country in those capacities.
However, there will be two centres of power - the government and the ANC - until the next general elections in 2009 following the election in December of Jacob Zuma as ANC president and Motlanthe as his deputy.
No decision yet
"One of the things I resist is to report on discussions. I report on decisions," Mantashe said.
"We are not going to feed into speculation. We can't. It would be wrong of us to do so."
"Actually you will be surprised it was not the preoccupation of the lekgotla (that Motlanthe be made Deputy President of SA). There was no decision taken on this matter."
Mantashe said the electricity crisis had been debated in depth. The ANC would look into a number of interventions.
"Rather than being in a state of panic (we should) deal with the issue proactively because it is actually positive that the country is growing to the extent that we actually exhaust the energy capacity," he said.
"That economic growth to us is positive rather than negative.
"So rather than emphasising an energy crisis, rather an intervention that ensures that efficient energy consumption is taking place (should be emphasised]."
Mantashe announced that diplomat Jessie Duarte would be appointed as the ANC's spokesperson from February 1, replacing Smuts Ngonyama.
On electricity, Duarte said South Africans would need to work together and consider incentivising business and household installation of solar or water heating or implementing legislation to ensure the use of energy-efficient lightbulbs.
Media
Households also needed to turn off implements like geysers during peak hours.
Expanding on Zuma's Friday ANC newsletter, in which he said the media in South Africa was not synchronised with the feelings of society, ANC spokesperson Steyn Speed said the issue of media transformation was a priority for the party at the moment.
"The question (is) of the media and its ability to represent in its totality the broad spectrum of interests in society.
"The media as it stands in South Africa overall and in its totality falls short in that regard."
He said a challenges South Africa faced was to give a voice to those previously marginalised from accessing and consuming the media.
"As the ANC we need to have our own media platforms and we need to speak to our members and to society directly."
Speed said the ANC would welcome engaging with the South African National Editors' Forum and other media stakeholders on these kinds of issues.
"I don't think people need to be too defensive about it. I think we want to debate these issues," he said.
- SAPA