Durban - Former ANC North West provincial chairperson Supra Mahumapelo has come up with a 19-page dossier for the rebranding, repositioning and renewal of the ANC in which he proposes several changes to the composition of the party’s structures.
Mahumapelo said he hoped that the thoughts contained in the document titled “Rebranding, Repositioning, Renewal” would add value to the discussions within the ANC as the party prepared for its 55th national conference in December and beyond.
“The views expressed are done in line with the ANC constitution on how ideas within the ANC should be expressed,” Mahumapelo said.
When quizzed whether the dossier had been accepted by the powers that be at Luthuli House, Mahumapelo said there was no need to submit it to the leadership as he had quoted the ANC constitution and it would be up to the branches whether they accepted it or not.
He said the branch executive committee should be elected by ANC members, volunteers, supporters and interested community members in general, instead of the ANC membership card-holders only.
“The ANC branch must have only 25 ANC community card-carrying members in good standing. The best from society, well-trained in political theory and practice. Hard-working, steeped in community work.
“The power is now with branch members, supporters, volunteers and community to elect the 25 ANC branch executive members,” he said.
Among Mahumapelo’s other proposals was that the ANC should consider leading a process of bringing together all progressive black organisations represented in Parliament and outside to discuss, craft and agree on a “new political and economic trajectory” for South Africa.
“With a two-thirds majority in its hands, the ‘National Alliance for a Better South Africa’ will be able to introduce any legislation necessary to effect the people’s radical economic transformation programme.
“Among other practical things the ANC should consider is the urgent reconstitution of cabinet and executives in provinces to accommodate the progressive political organisations, especially those in Parliament and legislatures,” read the dossier.
Some of the changes he called for included legislated monthly reporting systems to the communities by ministers, premiers, MECs, mayors, councillors which should be developed, legislated and implemented urgently.
“(If) you fail to report on three consecutive occasions to the community, you must be removed by the community,” Mahumapelo said.
He also advocated monthly ANC-convened community meetings to take place as this would give the ANC an opportunity to report to the community on its own views and regular assessment of its own deployees in the presence of such deployees.
One of the fundamental changes he called for was in the branch system of the ANC, saying that a step-by-step system must be introduced through which a community branch must be empowered to remove any leader at any time based on the assessment of such a leader or upper structure.
“This will bring back the confidence to the ANC because, more often than not, branches have to endure the brunt of problematic, lazy, ill-disciplined but well-connected and protected leaders for the entire term or beyond,” Mahumapelo said.
He said the ANC was forever in a vulnerable state of existence and was also dependent on external political environments, both nationally and internationally.
“It is suggested that as part of rebranding repositioning and renewal, the ideological posture of the ANC might have to be adjusted.
“The ANC might have to consider becoming a developmental socialist organisation with South African characteristics. This shall be used to pursue ‘The People’s Developmental Socialism with South African Characteristics’,” Mahumapelo said.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE