NEW policies proposed by the African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng reflect the party’s anxiety about the 2016 local government elections and the effect on voter choice of the slow pace of economic transformation. The party’s Gauteng structures have been seized for years with a leadership battle between provincial chairman Paul Mashatile and former premier Nomvula Mokonyane, which dominated discussion in the run-up to the last provincial conference. With less than a month before this year’s conference, Mr Mashatile’s opponents have not yet identified a contender to challenge him. The party has a much larger conundrum to solve: how to stem the drop in support in the province, after a fall of more than 10 percentage points in the May elections. It attributes its decline in support among middle-and working-class communities to the unpopular electronic tolling on Gauteng highways; to the scandal surrounding the R246m upgrades to President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla residence; and the rise of Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters. Brian Hlongwa, the Gauteng ANC’s head of political education, says it is grappling with a host of issues. Central among these are economic inclusion and the need to critically review the way the ANC governs, particularly at local level. Policy proposals for the conference to address these issues include employing councillors full time and for them to be paid by the Treasury instead of by municipalities — which may require constitutional amendments. Another proposal is to ensure 49% of mining companies are owned by blacks. This will form part of a concerted effort to radically transform the economy. Development finance institutions like the Industrial Development Corporation and the National Empowerment Fund should provide financial and other support for blacks to own and run enterprises — including mines — rather than the state owning equity in them since state intervention in itself is neither revolutionary nor left, the ANC’s policy documents read. This will also be a game changer … as this will significantly contribute towards a target of 20% black ownership of JSE companies being achieved within the National Development Plan period. The policy outcomes of the provincial conference will be taken to the ANC’s national general council in June next year. Mr Hlongwa says the party’s stance is informed by resolutions passed at the ANC’s 2012 national conference, which called for a second phase of the transition. As these efforts to radically transform the economy depict the second revolution aimed at tilting the balance of economic forces in favour of the black majority, deliberate actions should be taken to deracialise our economy and make it inclusive through producing and supporting more and more black industrialists in a number of key sectors of our economy, the ANC Gauteng proposes. In terms of new industrial opportunities, focus should be on promoting black industrialists in key areas including infrastructure roll-out, greening the economy, agro-processing and beneficiation. The ANC in Gauteng also attributes its erosion in ballot-box support to the two centres of power. During Ms Mokonyane’s premiership, the provincial government worked in competition with the party’s leadership. Insiders say the ANC was almost not in power in Gauteng during that period due to the gulf between the leadership of the government and the party. This caused paralysis and confusion, and the ANC’s alliance partners were largely responsible for interaction with the people of Gauteng. As the party debates how best to win back the support of alienated voters, a shift has taken place within the Gauteng government. Since the May elections Premier David Makhura — the former ANC Gauteng secretary — is trying to take governance to the people. He set up a panel to review the effect of electronic e-tolls on Gauteng commuters. His MECs have been visiting communities and listening to their concerns. Mr Makhura admitted some communities had long been neglected by the provincial government. But while the political will exists to change the top-down approach to governance, it remains to be seen whether Gauteng’s public servants — at municipal and provincial level — will sing the same tune. Democratic Alliance leader in Gauteng John Moodey says Mr Makhura seems up to the task to address the problems that led to the ANC’s decline in the province. He describes Mr Makhura’s first few months in office as a breath of fresh air. But he doubts whether politicians listening and responding to communities will be enough to boost the ANC’s performance in the municipal elections. There is likely to be a tight race in some hotly contested wards. The Economic Freedom Fighters, whose strongest performance by seats countrywide in May was in Gauteng, has not yet returned to the legislature after it had been kicked out more than a month ago over its members’ attire.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 14:40:08 +0000
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