The African national congress‘s 4^th National Policy Conference starts today in Gallagher Estate, Midrand, amidst high expectations pertaining to key policy challenges facing the country. Challenges such as unemployment, poverty, and income inequality will be explored. The ANC convenes a policy conference to be attended by more than 4 000 delegates from branches in all provinces, as well as alliance partners, business and other members of the diplomatic corps. It is expected that the resolutions of the policy conference will be taken back to branches, and ultimately for adoption in the much-anticipated Mangaung national conference. While looking at the programme of action for the next five years, the ANC will, in December this year, adopt policy recommendations and, of course, elect new party leadership.

Pertinent issues are policy decisions around mining (nationalization or more state involvement and different tax regime), youth subsidy, land reform and rural development, economic transformation, health and education, Legislature and Governance, peace and security, international relations, social transformation, Gender, Communications.

Today will begin with the opening address by the ANC President Jacob Zuma, followed by the adoption of Conference rules and procedures as part of the first session.

The second session will comprise a closed plenary session with the following presentations:

A third session for the day will include eleven commissions, which will deali with Strategy and Tactics and organizational renewal. It is during this commissions that the whole of the conference will deal with the controversial topic called the “Second Transition”. We have seen recently different views around what the overall development trajectory should be in the coming years. Some have asked what the first transition entailed, and whether the objectives of the first transition were met. Others, like Gwede Mantashe, have said we must look at the content that entails socio-economic transformation, and not the topic. Some provinces support the second transition, whereas others are against the discussion document, arguing that it lacks sufficient analysis of the country ‘s challenges and will therefore not lead to any qualitative changes in challenges such as poverty, unemployment and inequality. Will the debate be a proxy battle for the leadership contestation in Mangaung? We will keep you posted!

Comments

comments