Durban decisions 'reaffirm' alliance

The ANC's allies are happy with the outcome of this week's national general council, believing it will help "cement the unity" of the tripartite alliance.

SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande said yesterday that the NGC had sent a clear message that attempts "by a small group" to drive a wedge between the ANC and its alliance partners would not succeed.

"The alliance was reaffirmed in the strongest terms by the president (Jacob Zuma) and especially by the ANC Veterans' League," Nzimande said.

The veterans' league, which was attending its first ANC national gathering since it was formed, had emphasised the importance of Cosatu and the SACP to the ANC.

Nzimande said he welcomed Zuma's promise of a special cabinet meeting to discuss a new growth path for the country. The SACP and Cosatu have been unhappy with the government's economic policy direction and are calling for a new growth strategy.

"For us, it is at the centre of how we build a more inclusive economy," Nzimande said.

He also praised the ANC's resolution on nationalisation, saying the NGC had refused to endorse a "form of nationalisation that is not defined" and aimed at providing a bail-out for troubled empowerment companies.

"Now we can have a discussion, rather than nationalisation being used as a campaign issue used to introduce a premature 2012 debate," he said.

Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini was also happy with the outcome and said attempts by some ANC leaders to convince delegates to pass a resolution that would result in trade unionists who hold dual membership being charged for public statements made on behalf of their unions had failed.

ANC NEC member Tony Yengeni told a press conference on Wednesday that party branches wanted the ANC to act on Cosatu leaders who were also ANC leaders when they attacked ruling party leaders in public.

The NGC decided that the matter should be discussed in a meeting between the ANC and Cosatu.

Dlamini said the federation would not accept such a proposal, as it would lead to Cosatu's and the SACP's independence being undermined.

Although he said Cosatu was "largely happy" with the way the NGC had gone , the trade union federation raised its dissatisfaction with pronouncements made by the ANC to the effect that it did not form part of the strategic centre of the alliance.

In his closing remarks at the NGC, Zuma reiterated his view that the ANC remained the political leader and strategic centre of the alliance.

Dlamini said Cosatu did not necessarily seek to be part of the strategic centre, but needed a "win-win" situation which would come about only when an alliance programme was in place.