IN QUOTES | Ace Magashule on NEC meeting: 'We say no to evictions'

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule briefed the media on Wednesday about the outcomes of the virtual NEC meeting held at the weekend.

Here are important quotes from his address:

Gender-based violence

“The NEC welcomes the alliance campaigns on gender-based violence, in particular the great focus on the role of men and boys in the fight against GBV and for the amendment and improvement of laws to strengthen the prosecution of GBV perpetrators.”

Covid-19

“We have not yet won the war. SA acted decisively and early to start preparing our health system and personnel to put in place the capacity for testing and contact tracing. The state of national disaster of 2020 followed by hard lockdown helped slow the spread of infection.”

Economic recovery

“The Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect negatively the economic activity in SA and around the world. Unemployment is rising, businesses are under pressure and public finances are being stretched. The NEC discussed a range of economic measures which will stimulate job creation. The emphasis will be on localisation, including maximising the use of South African materials and construction companies as well as labour-intensive methods.”

Evictions

“We call on state-owned utilities and financial institutions to be sensitive to the difficulties faced by municipalities and households when it comes to cut-offs of services and evictions. We say no to evictions.”

Food relief

“All our structures must act in the public interest. The NEC calls on structures to be vigilant and act promptly where there is misuse of food packages and other wrongdoings and on public representatives to be vigilant and ethical in serving their communities.”

Members fingered in VBS Mutual Bank looting

“It's unfortunate we have to respond to allegations. Allegations are not facts. So let us not always tarnish the image of people with allegations. Allegations have made people to be sometimes dealt with. The ANC must never move away from the universal principle of innocent until proven otherwise.”