'There’s no room for those who sow seeds of division,' warns Ramaphosa

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has made it clear that those seeking to divide the party will be left out in the cold as the party forges ahead with its renewal agenda.

“This process of renewal of the ANC and its unity, is not only irreversible, it’s irrevocable. It will not be stopped,” said Ramaphosa.

He was giving keynote address at an ANC fundraising gala dinner at Imvelo Safari Lodge in the Free State on Saturday evening ahead of the party’s 111th birthday celebration on Sunday.

Ramaphosa said the gathering of more than 450 people was important to the ANC.

The party exceeded its target of raising R6m with a seat at Ramaphosa’s 10-seater table selling for R1.2m.

“The fact that this dinner has been oversold and oversubscribed, for us, proves indeed that you are willing to be part of this whole journey of rebuilding our country and in revitalising the ANC.”

He said the dinner followed the conclusion of the party’s 55th national conference which was held in two parts.

“The 55th national conference was an important moment in the life of our movement. Delegates reaffirmed the determination of ANC members that they represented to the conference to renew and rebuild the ANC.”

He said delegates resolved to put behind the harmful organisational practices and tendencies that had contributed to the decline of the ANC in recent years.

“They stood firm to renew and to unite our organisation. In fact, there is no longer any room left for those who are opposed to the renewal process. No room at all.

“There is no longer room, at all, for those who want to sow seeds of divisions in the ANC.”

He went on to say that delegates had made a resounding call for unity based on the values and principles of the ANC.

“They said this unity must be forged through the process of renewal and a programme of action that places the needs and interests of South Africans above everything and anybody else.”

The resolutions adopted at the conference focus both on the immediate challenges facing the country and the fundamental transformation of social and economic relations necessary to build a better life for all South Africans.

The resolutions also set out clear actions needs to be taken as a matter of urgency to resolve challenges like load-shedding in the shortest possible time and ensure the country’s energy security is well positioned in the future.

“Those resolutions place inclusive economic growth and employment creation as central among the tasks that we must undertake. This requires that we intensify the investment drive and for us it is so important to have so many of you who are in business, who drive the investment process.”

The ANC, he said, is now focused on ensuring it creates an environment for businesses to invest. “We are working to reduce the red tape and to include the competitiveness of our economy through far-reaching reforms in a number of sectors of our economy.”

The conference also resolved that infrastructure investment needs to be increased substantially and the plans translated into the construction of roads, fixing potholes, building bridges, dams, water treatment plants, schools, houses and enhancing power lines.

“This infrastructure investment is needed to stimulate economic activity to expand the capacity of our economy and provide the services that South Africans need.”

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