Pretoria - Re-elected ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasised that the governing party needs to do more to eradicate corruption and disunity within the party so that it could serve the people of South Africa better to ensure a better performance in the 2024 national elections.
He was speaking at the opening address of the second leg of the 55th party national conference at the Imvelo Safari Lodge in Mangaung, which will be the main hub, with each province attending the conference in a hybrid format.
The city will be the centre of the party’s 111th anniversary, known as the January 8 statement, that will be held on Sunday with build-up activities in between.
Late last month the party kicked off a gruelling elective conference at Nasrec, south of Joburg where Ramaphosa emerged victorious for a second term, beating Dr Zweli Mkhize.
The resumption of the two-day conference is expected to report resolutions of the conference and the declaration, ending with the closure by Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa vowed to focus on the implementation of the resolutions taken while ending corruption and factionalism within the party.
“Through the deliberations in commissions, delegates made it clear that we need to proceed with greater urgency and purpose to address the challenges that confront our people.
“Where our policies remain relevant and appropriate, we need to be more focused in ensuring their effective and full implementation.
“These decisions will determine whether we are able to reverse the organisational and electoral decline we identified when we met in December and whether we will emerge stronger, more united and more effective in meeting the needs of the people.”
Ramaphosa further acknowledged that the party was at its weakest point.
“We have said that we need to acknowledge our weaknesses and work to correct them; that we need to demonstrate humility, honesty, integrity and we need to earn the position of leader of society through our work among our people and also to regain the confidence and trust of the people.
“This conference needs to send a very clear signal to voters that the ANC is taking all necessary steps to deal with the challenges they confront, specifically unemployment, poverty, inequality, the rising cost of living, crime and instability, poor service delivery and load shedding that continue to negatively affect the lives of our people.”
Ramaphosa promised to dedicate himself to rebuilding the tripartite alliance which in recent years has seen cracks showing, with the SACP threatening to contest elections at the upcoming national elections, with Cosatu supporting it.
“During the first part of the 55th national conference, delegates demonstrated their unwavering commitment to renew and rebuild our organisation, but also a commitment to rebuild our alliance and the broader democratic movement.
“Delegates also resolved to eradicate all forms of factionalism and disunity, and other negative tendencies within our organisation, and took a firm stance against corruption within our own ranks in the state and across society,” Ramaphosa said.
Pretoria News