In a strange twist, the ANC could not conclude its 55th National Elective and Policy conference in Nasrec, South of Johannesburg and will continue with the meeting on January 5.
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a closing address shortly after the adjournment was announced on Tuesday.
At the time of the adjournment, delegates were still casting their votes in the election for additional members of the NEC.
However, more than half of the delegates were not present at the plenary when the President was delivering his closing speech.
Even the parking lots in and outside Nasrec that were jammed with cars, had empty spaces left and traffic moved smoothly.
The conference got off to a rocky start with factions jostling for positions that Ramaphosa believes were intentions to collapse the meeting.
“There have been attempts to divide us, to provoke us and to divert us from the tasks that we must undertake in advancing our National Democratic Revolution.
There have been moments at this Conference that have tested our unity and cohesion.
“But thanks to the political consciousness and for the most part the discipline among
yourselves as delegates, whatever differences among us did not distract us from the critical work that the people of this country expect and require of us.”
Ramaphosa called on those who were aspiring for positions but failed to garner enough votes to rally behind the elected leaders.
“As the ANC, we have made mistakes. And we have paid for them in many ways.
But even having found ourselves on the brink, we pulled ourselves back.
“Because we know there is a greater task yet to be fulfilled, and that task is building a better South Africa that leaves no-one behind. This Conference has reaffirmed that purpose and mission.
“There is no other reason for the existence of this organisation than to unite, mobilise and serve the people of South Africa.
“Let us be clear that there is no other reason for us to join the ANC and there is no other reason for us to seek or accept election to positions of leadership within its ranks other than to serve its people.”
Ramaphosa said proposals were put forward that will accelerate Radical Social and Economic Transformation.
“The deliberations and the conclusions from our Policy Conference have placed the needs and the interests of the people first, especially the working class and the poor.”
He also promised to aggressively fight corruption.
“We have recognised that corruption within the ANC is a dire threat to the continued existence of our organisation and to the future of the National Democratic Revolution.
“We have recognised the great progress that has been made over the last five years in tackling corruption within our ranks, within the State and across society.
“But we have also acknowledged that we have not done enough to end corruption, to reverse the effects of state capture and to deal with its corrosive effects on the ANC and institutions across society.
“We have said that government should consider the establishment of a vibrant and
independent anti-corruption agency as a structure to address issues of corruption across the country.
“We have stated our determination, as this 55th National Conference, to take all necessary actions to end corruption and patronage within the ANC.”
