SECUNDA – The African National Congress (ANC) in Mpumalanga held its January 8 rally at the Lilian Ngoyi Stadium in the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality on Saturday, February 7.
The party’s Treasurer-General, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, delivered the keynote address. As she ascended the podium to address supporters, she emphasised that the ANC’s renewal agenda must be visible and irreversible. In an interview with the media, she expressed confidence that there was no reason to believe the renewal process could be reversed, noting that it is deeply rooted within the organisation and should ultimately transcend into society.
READ | “The ANC will never fall
“We must not wait for a stream of water or sewage to become a flood before we act. We should not simply observe and describe how big a pothole is until there is no tar left.
“The second issue is the difficulty of running a government when you are weak. There have been significant milestones and progress made over the past 30 years or so; however, it remains very difficult to move forward. “We also have municipalities that return infrastructure funds to the Treasury. These kinds of instabilities are setting us back. Fixing local government will require all of us, as a community, to be involved.
READ MORE | ANC Mpumalanga ready for Local Government Elections
“We must act immediately, before the entire infrastructure is destroyed. Where there is no water, I am aware that there are several projects in Mpumalanga to build reservoirs and dams, some of which are at an advanced stage,” said Ramokgopa.
She further stated that renewal is not only confined to the ANC and the Alliance, but must also take place within society.
“I have said that we watch, and continue to watch with great pain, some of the issues that are being uncovered through our committees and commissions. We want to send a very clear message of zero tolerance to crime and corruption, to gender-based violence, and to ensure that the declaration of gender-based violence as a national disaster, becomes real in the lives of women. I also highlighted the issue of young people.”
“There are many opportunities for young people, including the use of our natural resources to benefit them locally and through trade. We need to be more productive, think outside the box, be innovate, and ensure that today’s youth are at the forefront of building an inclusive economy,” she concluded.
