'No surprises' at ANC NEC meeting‚ says Mabuyane

ANC Eastern Cape provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane says it is all systems go for the ANC's 106th birthday celebration which will take place at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London on Saturday.

Speaking to the DispatchLIVE on Wednesday‚ Mabuyane said the mood was "phenomenal" and people were looking forward to the event.

“Since the national conference at Nasrec‚ people feel rejuvenated. They feel the ANC has been brought back to them. As a province‚ this is an opportunity to showcase why we are called the home of legends. We are going to live up to that standard‚” he said.

Asked about what the outcome of the NEC meeting under way at the East London International Conference Centre was likely to be ‚ Mabuyane said the meeting was about looking at the January 8 statement.

“We are not looking at any other surprises. The ANC is going to follow its processes for other issues.

"We have a lekgotla coming up next week‚ another NEC meeting definitely … but now we are looking at the statement. The narrative of unity that is sacrosanct in the ANC has gained momentum on the ground and we do not want to mess up that narrative.

"We do not want to get into celebration of the ANC with something that is going distort and create discord on what we are trying to send to our people‚” he said.

Mabuyane would not be drawn into discussing the calls for President Jacob Zuma's recall. "I'm not in that space. That will be handled by the leadership itself‚" he said.

"NEC members are all matured enough and they understand the importance and significance of the January 8 statement. It is a very sacred space for the ANC. This is where we get marshalling orders from the ANC. We are from the conference which took serious resolutions. We must be able to move and take the ANC to a higher pedestal‚ making sure we speak from the same wavelength - sending one clear message with many voices."