Mbalula halts ANC conferences until members complete political education course

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has halted all conferences until members go through a political education foundation course.

In a letter sent to provinces last week, Mbalula said the ANC had decided a precondition for holding conference at all levels — regions and provinces — will be proof that its members had gone through the foundation course at the party’s political school.

“This serves to reiterate the importance of all structures to undergo the foundation course as part of the organisational renewal agenda,” Mbalula said in the letter dated March 19.

“This means no structure must convene conferences unless they have undergone the foundation course. 

“The foundation course seeks, through capable cadreship among all members and leaders, to build strong organisational structures geared towards implementing organisational programmes that would fulfil the aims and objectives of the national democratic revolution,” Mbalula wrote. 

This comes as several regions are expected to hold conferences this year. In Limpopo, the Peter Mokaba region is expected to hold its conference in April, where chair John Mpe will be seeking re-election.

Other regions including Vhembe are also expected to hold their conferences. Dada Morero will be looking for another stint as chair of the Johannesburg region with their conference expected in July.

These regions will have to rush to complete the course before proceeding with their conferences.

Though there was concern that this requirement might delay conferences, some party leaders said this might not necessarily be the case as some of these regions have already started their courses.

ANC national executive committee member David Makhura is head of the party’s political education and responsible for ensuring party structures wanting to hold their conferences have been taken through the course.

The ANC’s national conference in 2022 decided all its members and leaders must undergo some form of political training.

This was part of its renewal programme. The idea was to capacitate ANC members with historical, ideological, intellectual and organisational knowledge.

The ANC also formed the OR Tambo School of Leadership chaired by veteran Kgalema Motlanthe, which seeks to enhance knowledge of its members.

One of the courses of this school is an introduction to political studies, which covers the history of SA and the ANC, building the organisation, government and economic development.

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