Cash crisis threatens ANC renewal plans

The ANC has been hit by a cash crisis that threatens to derail its plans to modernise by, among other things, recruiting professional staff at Luthuli House, its headquarters.

This is revealed in a document due to be released for discussion ahead of the party's policy conference in June.

Though the document on organisational renewal does not reveal the extent of the crisis, it acknowledges that the ANC might have difficulties in financing some of its new plans.

"Major decisions have to be made on financing the movement if we are to build the necessary capacity and capability at all levels."

The document calls for urgent practical steps to "professionalise" and modernise the operations of the ANC.

"Progressive modern management methods should be introduced in the running of the ANC offices.

"Over the next decade we strive to build an advanced cadre of well-trained, professionally competent, decently paid and highly motivated functionaries of the organisation at all levels," it says.

Other proposals are that the responsibilities of ANC officials be clarified and that national working committee members be elected by national conference delegates.

Some would have to work full-time in the office of the secretary-general, heading a department.

The ANC officials include its president, deputy president, secretary-general, treasurer and chairman.

The document proposes that the ANC constitution be amended so that the officials are a leadership collective with clear "collective responsibilities and accountabilities".

It says the party's constitution describes the role of officials only as individuals.

"It is ambiguous on their responsibilities as a leadership collective."

It says the office of the secretary-general should be beefed up, with six new departments headed by committee members.

The document proposes that the departmental heads be elected at the national conference as full-time secretariat workers under the secretary-general. They should also be members of the committee.

The difficulty, says the document, is that the new full-time committee members might be seen as a superstructure that could undermine the power of the national executive committee.

The NEC is the highest decision making body of the ANC between conferences.