ANC national executive council deployee to the Northern Cape says the party requires an urgent in-house clean-up, with corruption and unaccountability needing to be urgently addressed.
“OUR HOUSE is on fire and we cannot delay putting out that fire.”
This was the sentiment of the ANC national executive council (NEC) deployee to the Northern Cape, Noxolo Kiewiet, who was speaking at the provincial general council that took place at Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre in Kimberley on Sunday.
Kiewiet said the ANC requires an urgent in-house clean-up, with corruption and unaccountability needing to be urgently addressed.
“The issue of violence, lack of accountability and lack of accessibility in the organisation is a big concern. One would go to a bi-election and people would chase you away. People would tell us that the councillors they have elected into position, they have last seen them on the poles or on the day they elected them,” said Kiewiet.
“The same goes when we elect ward committees. One would find that those who were campaigning are now at the forefront of securing opportunities. Whether the person has the correct skill-set is not regarded in such instances. Where is the accountability in these instances?”
Kiewiet said the corrupt behaviour of some leaders has resulted in the organisation not complying with its mandate of delivering services to the public.
“Each time the auditor-general releases the findings on how municipalities are doing, then one wants to hide under a table. Those of us who know about books, understand that it is not a complicated affair. However, things become complicated when some leaders decide which tender must go to who. Why do we misuse the power of the ANC?
“The misuse of the power has resulted in the public not having access to basic services. There have been instances where tenders have been awarded and paid to contractors before any work has been done. Our people have to use dilapidated roads because contractors do not do their work. This behaviour has made people turn on the organisation. We cannot expect people who are deprived of those services to smile at us.”
Kiewiet added that the party’s step-aside resolution must be implemented and carried out.
“The July unrest was felt by the entire country. As we head into the national conference, we need to understand that the beneficiaries of corruption will also be present at that policy conference. The beneficiaries of corruption will be resisting the policies where they will not benefit. We have to understand that we will wrestle those who have gained from corrupt behaviour in this organisation. We have established the step-aside clause in order to ensure that unsavoury characters are removed from the organisation. That clause is a tool at our effect.”
She stressed that the organisation needs to return to its founding policies in order to gain the support of the masses.
“There are many negative factors in the organisation. We have poor service delivery, corruption and ineffective agents of change. These factors have resulted in the ANC losing power in a number of metros and local municipalities.
“The ANC was not started in order for the selfish interest of some. We cannot allow this selfishness to deter the ANC mandate. We need to defend this organisation. We also need to unfriend those who have come on board for self-gain and root out the negative factors in this organisation,” Kiewiet concluded.
