ANC has emerged from conference with renewed vigour‚ says Ramaphosa

The ANC has emerged from its recent national policy conference with renewed vigour and a clear message that it is now time to get back work and attend to the business of building a non-racial‚ non-sexist‚ just and prosperous society‚ says Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Addressing a United Methodist Church of Southern Africa fundraising gala dinner on Friday evening‚ he said the outcomes of the conference should give South Africans hope that progress is being made in correcting many of the mistakes that the movement has made in recent times.

“It should give South Africans hope that a platform has been established for the renewal and revitalisation of the movement that led our people to freedom.

“Although the conference deliberations were frank and robust‚ and occasionally heated‚ the basis has been laid for a stronger‚ more united and more purposeful ANC‚” Ramaphosa said.

Significantly‚ it was the branch delegates who had demonstrated a firm commitment to confront the challenges facing the ANC.

“It was the people from the communities you serve who told the leadership of the organisation of their determination to reclaim the ANC’s true values‚ mores and traditions.

“These were delegates who reminded us of the true nature and character of the movement.

“They reminded all of us that the ANC was not founded for its own sake or for the pursuit of partisan interests.

“It was founded as a critical instrument in the liberation of our people from apartheid‚ colonialism‚ poverty and want‚” Rampahosa added.

He said the party had elevated its thinking‚ deepened debate and put forward proposals that‚ should they be accepted at the ANC’s 54th National Conference in December‚ would “measurably improve the lives of our people”.

“Through this conference‚ we have placed the needs of the people at the centre of our policies and programmes.

“Now that the foundation has been laid‚ we need to work hard to regain the moral force that justifies our own existence.

“We have to regain the lost ground that we have sacrificed by focusing too much on internal contestations and contradictions‚” Ramaphosa said.

- TimesLIVE