ANC wants to expand deputy secretary post to two

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has called for an amendment to the party's constitution to accommodate the creation of two deputy secretaries-general in a bid to strengthen Luthuli House.

This was one of the proposals adopted at the ANC's three-day provincial general council, held at the University of Zululand.

It will be presented at the party's national policy conference, which starts on Friday.

Provincial chairman Sihle Zikalala said one of the deputies would be responsible for monitoring, evaluation and research, and the other for organisation building and campaigns.

"We are firm and unanimous that, as part of strengthening the headquarters, we will advocate for an amendment of the constitution to accommodate two deputy secretaries-general," he said.

Zikalala said the party in the province had committed to "rise above parochial provincial interests if any of them compromises the unity of the ANC".

The council , he said, was unanimous that there could be no progress without a united ANC.

"As we navigate through the difficult times facing our movement and the revolution, we must never lose hope, even in the face of complex circumstances and difficult moments," said Zikalala.

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal will push for the acceleration of radical economic transformation at the policy conference.

"Twenty-three years into democracy, the uninterrupted battle between the contending classes in South Africa is now an open fight.

" The oppressor is uncomfortable with radical economic transformation, which is an agenda and plight for the oppressed class, as represented by the ANC."

Zikalala said South Africa's credit ratings had been downgraded to junk status by international agencies because of President Jacob Zuma's decision to reshuffle his cabinet, which resulted in the axing of former finance minister Pravin Gordhan.

"Because of this unending battle, an economic warfare has been unleashed against the ANC and its government. Hence our economy has been put into junk status by the rating agencies," said Zikalala.

"We understand this to be economic warfare because the decisions to downgrade were taken not on the basis of soundness of our economic policies, but on political considerations after the president exercised his constitutional prerogative to reconstitute the cabinet."