Frequent protests and the state of the ANC in the Sarah Baartman region were among the issues at the top of the agenda in the special Regional Executive Committee (REC) meeting in Humansdorp last week.
Frequent protests and the state of the ANC in the Sarah Baartman region were among the issues at the top of the agenda in the special Regional Executive Committee (REC) meeting in Humansdorp last week.
ANC regional secretary, Scara Njadayi, said the meeting in the Kouga sub-region in Humansdorp on 13 September was characterised by robust and frank political debate.
According to Njadayi, this special REC meeting was convened to consider, amongst other issues, recurring protests, the state of the organisation and list guidelines.
Njadayi said in terms of protest they discussed at length the reports of unrest that are seen in some parts of the region.
"[The meeting] took note that some of these protests are informed by genuine concern about lack of service delivery such as houses, poor roads, absence of continuous collection of refuse removal and lack of rendering of consumable hygienic water," he said.
Njadayi said the REC further notes that some protests arise out of the absence of councillors in their wards.
"In some instances councillors are disregarding the genuine concerns of the people."
The meeting resolved that an urgent meeting with all councillors should be called and that they would be told to adhere to the performance agreement they have signed with the ANC.
"An urgent service delivery summit [needs]to be called where political heads of sector departments are invited and are taken through some of the glaring challenges that are affecting communities."
It further resolved to reprimand those who continue to organise marches and protests under the pretext of lack of service delivery and that, if they disregard such reprimands, that they be subjected to the disciplinary processes of the ANC.
Njadayi said membership of the ANC had grown.
He added that the REC welcomed the reports of the subregional AGMs in Baviaans, Makana, Koukamma and Ndlambe and the level of discipline shown by branches of the ANC.
