ANC Western Cape a 'work in progress' - Mantashe

18th July 2017 By: News24Wire

ANC Western Cape a 'work in progress' - Mantashe

ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe

The Africa National Congress's (ANC's) intervention in its Western Cape structures is still a "work in progress", said ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe.

He briefly addressed the media after the meeting between the national leaders and the Western Cape provincial executive committee (PEC) on Monday.

President Jacob Zuma, his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa and other top ANC officials were in town to meet the PEC, the new ANC Cape Town regional task team, and disaffected leaders of the metro who lost their positions after the PEC disbanded the Dullah Omar (Cape Town metro) region's leadership structure in June.

Mantashe said the ANC's national working committee (NWC) spent Sunday in the regions and met the PEC on Monday.

They wanted to give everyone affected a good chance to raise their issues, so the meeting could have gone on much longer.

"We didn't want to suppress any guests," Mantashe said. "We want to rebuild the ANC in the Western Cape."

He said the ANC must be strong enough in the province to ensure success in the 2019 elections. Mantashe didn't shed much light on what was said in the meeting and it seems that nothing has been resolved.

"There were many issues that came through." He said the process will continue, with another meeting mooted for next week.

"Anything we do now will be speculation. We'll put the cart before the horse."

Just before Mantashe addressed the media, a jovial Ramaphosa put his hands in front of Mantashe's face as television cameras were being set up before the two shared an embrace and a joke. Shortly after Mantashe spoke, Zuma came through the hotel lobby, surrounded by his security detail.

"Thank you! Thank you!" he said as he waved to the journalists when he walked past.