African National Congress (ANC) KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) secretary Bheki Mtolo said on Tuesday that party leaders and structures must preserve the integrity and the unity of the ANC as the build-up to the upcoming elective December conference gains traction.

The ANC’s fifty-fifth national elective conference, which will see the election of the party’s new president, will take place between November 16 and 20.

“We call upon all genuine and loyal and committed members of the ANC and all our structures that their conduct must display the high level of loyalty to the ANC and the people of South Africa,” said Mtolo.

He reiterated that the leadership of the ANC in KZN should demonstrate loyalty towards the party to make sure that the ANC remains alive.

The KZN Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) believes that the nomination process underway will run smoothly and be transparent under former president Kgalema Motlanthe, who is the party’s elections committee chairperson.

The PEC discussed and agreed on the need to strengthen the party’s provincial Integrity Committee and appointed Sipho Magwaza as Convenor.

“Previous ANC conferences have taken a strong stand and instructed all structures to root out corruption, expose it and speak out against it at all times,” said Mtolo.

ANC leaders across all structures are expected to subject themselves before this committee.

PROVINCIAL MATTERS

On reports that eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda and his deputy Philani Mavundla are at loggerheads, Mtolo admitted that although there are issues, the work of the municipality is not affected.

The PEC has also instructed KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube to accelerate the digital infrastructure rollout aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution across all government departments.

The PEC generally agrees that the focus of the KZN government and all municipalities is to create a leading economy and is urging all spheres of government to ensure water security and sustainable energy provision.

It believes that the success of government’s programme aimed at stimulating the agriculture sector and ensuring food security is dependent on the provision of water and electricity.

In recent times, dissatisfaction with service delivery has resulted in protests by communities who are disgruntled with the pace of delivery.

The PEC welcomed a report that ensures ongoing monitoring of projects for the benefit of communities.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

The PEC has spent a considerable amount of time reflecting on the opportunities presented by the development of socio-economic infrastructure.

Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Siboniso Duma has mandated his deployees in all spheres of government to intensify the roll out of socio-economic infrastructure as a catalyst for the province’s economic recovery. 

The overall infrastructure budget over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework of the ANC government in KZN amounts to R18.6-billion, R19-billion and R18.7-billion across all 14 government departments.

ANC KZN chairperson Duma, in his capacity as Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC, has been given the green light by the PEC to move quickly to assist emerging entrepreneurs in the automotive industry.

The focus is on the establishment of Government Garage Hubs for the repairs of fleets in all government departments. This also forms part of the revitalisation of township and rural economies.