Ronald Lamola says ANC has good policies, despite what Mbeki and others feel

ANC deputy president contender, and justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola, says the governing party has good policies and it is time to start implementing them.

The ANC is set to hold its 55th elective conference in December.

Former presidents Kgalema Motlanthe, Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki criticised the ANC national executive committee (NEC), including President Cyril Ramaphosa, at the weekend.

Mbeki said citizens had the right to question what policies and leadership would come out of the conference.

Speaking on eNCA’s Power to Truth, Lamola said that while the party should continue being biased towards the marginalised, it needed to modernise to be capable of rebuilding the country.

“The ANC must continue being an organisation that is biased towards the marginalised. There must be ethical and competent leaders who are selfless and glued to the values of [Oliver] Tambo.

“It must be modernised to reflect the dynamics in society in terms of digitising platforms but also modernising its decision-making processes,” said Lamola. 

The ANC must have a generational mix and bring in young professionals.

“They must bring in black, white and Indian professionals who have participated beyond the democratic government after 1994, who have been in various fields in the country and believe they have gained valuable experience to contribute to rebuilding SA.”

Speaking at the strategic dialogue group’s AGM on Saturday, Mbeki said he was concerned whether the conference will come up with policies and leadership that can bring about change.

He was appalled by ANC leaders who suggested the party design electoral policy to ensure it won elections.

“When the matter was discussed at the national executive committee not long ago, you have members of the ANC saying we must write the electoral law so that the ANC wins. Comrades cited examples to reinforce this point. How can the ANC design electoral policy so that it wins? [The] ANC must design an electoral policy to advance the democratic revolution.”

The electoral policy discussions indicated the ANC’s lack of leadership. 

“It tells you something about what happened to our leadership when you have people sitting in the national executive committee who think the ANC can design policies just to benefit itself,” he said.

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