WATCH | Despite ‘fierce resistance’, Ramaphosa not backing down on renewal agenda

President Cyril Ramaphosa has conceded that his renewal agenda was met with “fierce resistance” during his first term as ANC president.

But, he says, he will not back down.

“Since 2017 it has been a difficult journey. We have encountered many challenges in seeking to forge this unity. At times we have met fierce resistance and we made a number of errors along the way. But we have remained true to the course of the restoration of our movement.” 

Speaking at the conclusion of the first part of the 55th national conference in Nasrec, Ramaphosa, who emerged victorious, said there had been challenges since hie was elected as president.

“Five years ago in this very hall, we set out on a journey of rebuilding, uniting and renewing our country.”

He said after he was elected as president, a delegate from the Free State attending the 54th national conference ran up to the stage and told him: “President, we want you to unite the ANC.”

That delegate, he said, has expressed the same sentiments during this conference, he said.

“He said, ‘President focus on uniting the ANC’. And that is precisely what I see my task as, as the president of the ANC. To unite the ANC.”

He said the 55th national conference had confirmed that the party is on the right path.

Ramaphosa also said, “this conference has made a clear call for greater urgency and action, particularly in uniting and renewing the ANC.”

The delegates want the ANC to be renewed and united, said Ramaphosa.

“We need, as we move on, to resolve a number of challenges that confirm our country, but we also know that we can confront them if we are a united organisation.

“If the ANC is divided, it will never be able to unite the people of SA. If the ANC is divided, it will never be able to build an economy that can create jobs. We need to act with resolve to ensure that we address the turmoil of load-shedding that is taking our economy backwards.”

He said the party needs to ensure that its policies remove obstacles that impede growth and job creation and should act against public representatives and government officials who were delaying the implementation of vital reforms.

“We need to fix our schools, hospitals, roads, water infrastructure and we need to close those potholes... we also need to employ people because they are competent and committed, not because they are connected to other people.”

The public service also needs to be professionalised, he said.

“Patronage that may have existed in the past should come to an end. People must be appointed because they have an ability and capability of serving our people, and that must be the standard.

“We must show no mercy to those who steal money from the poor, whoever they are and wherever they are...We are bound by our commitment to the ANC and to the people of SA to fulfil that responsibility.”

The ANC conference has been adjourned to due to logistical reasons, including allowing more than 4000 delegates to travel back home and to conclude voting for new members of the national executive committee.

it will reconvene, in a hybrid format, on the fifth of January 2023 for the adoption of policy resolutions. 

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