Media Statement - COSATU Limpopo calls on leaders of the ANC to dismantle factions

<strong>COSATU</strong>
CONGRESS OF SOUTH AFRICAN TRADE UNIONS
LIMPOPO
16 Scheoman Street
Polokwane
0700
Tel: + 27 + 15 + 291-2981/2/3
Fax: + 27 + 15 + 291-3232
E-mail: toeki@cosatu.org.za
Internet: http://www.cosatu.org.za
MEDIA STATEMENT
17 October 2016
<strong>COSATU</strong> LIMPOPO CALLS ON LEADERS OF THE ANC AND ITS
STRUCTURES TO DISMANTLE FACTIONS, CLIQUES AND THE DEMON OF
TRIBALISM
For the past years, the Congress of South African Trade Unions in <strong>Limpopo</strong> has been at
the forefront of fighting against factionalism which led to the disbandment of the
previous PEC of the ANC. During our 4 th Provincial Congress held in June 2014, we
called for the newly elected PEC to act decisively on the following:
• Deal with the new tendency in our province;
• Dismantle factions, cliques and cabals within the movement;
• Dismantle the demon of tribalism
• Rebuild structures of the movement
• Unite the ANC and the alliance in the province
However, our observation to date is that the current PEC collective has been unable to
adequately respond to the above ills afflicting the movement in the province. There has
not been a single conscious programme that is aimed at dealing with factionalism and
tribalism in particular since the 2014 Provincial Congress of the ANC. The recent 2016
Local Government Elections provincial voter turnout, the lowest in the country, is a
clear indication of a movement under siege from its own self destruction mode and
therefore bold interventions are needed if we are to save the ANC in <strong>Limpopo</strong> in
particular.
We are equally aware that some regions of the ANC are preparing for their regional
conferences before the end of 2016. As predictable, lobbying through factional manner
have begun in earnest in all these regions thereby further deepening divisions within the
movement in the province. Our understanding as the federation is that factionalism has
the following ugly characteristics:
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• It’s a cancer that if not reversed will kill our movement
• It does not have political conscious;
• Divisive;
• Self-centred and self-serving
• Regionalistic and
• Tribalistic in nature.
We are therefore making the following call:
1. The comrades Chupu Stanley Mathabatha and Nocks Seabi, ANC Provincial
Chairperson and Secretary respectively, must urgently disband their factions in
the province and in regions, close ranks and work for the unity of the movement;
2. That comrades Seaparo Charles Sekoati and Basikopo Makamu, ANC Mopani
Regional Chairperson and Secretary respectively must urgently disband their
factions, close ranks and work for the unity of the movement in their region;
3. That comrades Morris Mataboge and Tolly Mashamaite , ANC Waterberg
Regional Chairperson and Secretary respectively must urgently disband their
factions, close ranks and work for the unity of the movement in their region;
4. That comrades Ishmael Kgetsepe and Jerry Maseko , ANC Sekhukhune Regional
Chairperson and Secretary respectively must urgently disband their factions,
close ranks and work for the unity of the movement in their region;
5. That comrades Dewet Monakedi and Eugene Masete , ANC Peter Mokaba
Regional Chairperson and Secretary respectively must urgently disband their
TUT and Masana factions, close ranks and work for the unity of the movement in
their region;
6. That comrades Tshitereke Mathibe and Khathu Netsifhefhe , ANC Vhembe
Regional Chairperson and Secretary respectively must urgently disband their
factions, close ranks and work for the unity of the movement in their region;
We are equally calling on all other leaders of the ANC in the province and regions to
contribute towards the unity of the movement in the province.
Our message to the leadership of the ANC is that if there are those who are not prepared
to dismantle factions and unite the movement in the province, they can as well stand
aside and give those that are ready to do so or they are going to be forced to do so.
In furtherance, the federation has resolved as follows:
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a) Call for the convening of a Joint Provincial Alliance Political School before
regional conferences;
b) Call upon all workers who are members of the ANC to condemn and disrupt
factionalism wherever it manifest itself in their branches;
c) Appeal to members of the ANC to:
• Reject factionalism and tribalism as they prepare for regional and
provincial conferences;
• Reject leaders whose interest is to divide the movement, isolate other
members and leaders of the ANC on the basis of different views and tribal
background;
d) To begin engaging all leaders in regions and the province to call for unity of the
movement;
e) Engage veterans of the ANC, MKMVA, SANCO, the PYA and other progressive
forces in the province towards the unity of the movement;
f) Convene a Joint SACP-<strong>COSATU</strong> Provincial Political Commission on the 18 th
October 2016 to develop a shared and a common political posture as the left with
regard to the coming conferences in the province;
g) That the federation will be convening its structures at regional level from the 19 th
– 27 th October 2016 to develop a shared and common understanding towards
building and defending the unity of the ANC and the gains our National
Democratic Revolution.
Issued by <strong>COSATU</strong> <strong>Limpopo</strong>
For more information contact Gerald Mkhomazi Twala, <strong>COSATU</strong> Provincial Secretary at
071 587 2872
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