By The former President Mr Thabo Mbeki told the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) and the African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State that he is pleased with the positive trajectory reflected over the two days convocation in Welkom.
The ANC has taken a stance of self-correcting and has endeavoured to renew and rebuild the organisation. Over the weekend, from Friday to Saturday, the ANC in the Free State met in Welkom with the former President as the guest of honour to give guidance to the Congress in the province.
The liberation party discussed a number of issues including that of renewal and rebuilding, which topped the agenda. The ANC, while looking itself in the mirror, had to confront the brutal truths as reported that it is detached from society.
Mbeki, during his address, said he is pleased to see the leadership determined to bring about change in the organisation. He noted some of the comments during discussions, and in particular that acknowledge that there is some positive change in the PEC, in the way it operates but they should not celebrate too early as there still is a lot of work to be done.
President Thabo Mbeki told the meeting that, leaders should lead by example and be the change that they want to see in society. Pointing back to the performance of the ANC during the provincial and national elections in May 2024; he said the electoral population expressed their dissatisfaction with the ANC at the polls, that the ANC was not what is supposed to be to the population, whether by omission or commission.
“Physically, objectively, you have confessed and therefore necessarily we will have to watch in terms of what you do, because what you do must give an example to the rest, this is what is possible, this is what can be done. That leadership is what becomes very important;” said Mbeki.
Mbeki said the issues discussed at the meeting were not unique to the Free State province, but they are of national concern, as such, Gauteng will also be hosting a similar meeting, he said the meeting by the ANC in the Free State will then function as a benchmark going into the meeting with Gauteng having learnt important lessons.
He further told the meeting that he will come back again to see if the perspectives expressed during the two days meeting have been implemented and ensure the success of the province because the success of the Free State lays the possibility of success elsewhere in the country.
“I am very pleased to listen to what you yourselves have said; I have a very good sense of the determination of the leadership in this province, our determination to really confront these challenges, in an objective manner, in cool headed manner but in a manner that seeks solutions to these problems; to make sure that indeed we respond properly to the sentiments of our people as expressed in the general elections,” concluded Mbeki.
