The African National Congress (ANC) has promised to take “firm action against cadres involved in corruption” in municipalities.
ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule conveyed the party’s National Executive Committee’s (NEC) commitment at a press briefing on Wednesday following its meeting over the weekend.
We commit to clean and ethical governance at local levels, and to taking firm action against cadres involved in corruption, fraud, nepotism and wasteful expenditure.
ANC NEC
The party said its members and leaders should not be involved in local government tender processes.
It said the rise of “predatory business lobbies and forums” has negatively affected local government service delivery and damaged the ANC’s image.
The ANC endorsed the government’s district-based service delivery model launched recently by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
It indicated that it will review its guidelines for candidate selection in preparation for the 2021 local government elections.
Economic recovery strategy
The NEC discussed Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s economic recovery strategy draft paper.
It subsequently approved “a range of economic policy interventions” to boost economic growth.
These include focusing more on small and medium enterprises, promoting export and growth opportunities in Africa, and prioritising labour intensive sectors such as mining and agriculture.
The ANC directed government to spend more on infrastructure to stimulate demand in the construction industry.
Strategic equity partners
On struggling state-owned enterprises (SOEs) such as Eskom, Denel and South African Airways, the ANC reaffirmed its “longstanding policy with respect to strategic equity partners.”
This suggests that government may proceed with partial privatisation of these SOEs.
Nevertheless, the ANC said “consideration will be given to models of worker and social ownership.”