Joburg - There is life in the ANC without being part of the ANC NEC.
These are the sentiments shared by former ANC NEC member and minister of social development, Bathabile Dlamini, who was recently disqualified from standing for a position on the soon-to-be-voted for ANC NEC at the 55th ANC National Conference being held in Nasrec, Joburg.
Last week, with days until the elective conference, Dlamini was disqualified after she was reported to have failed the vetting process by the electoral committee, whose rules dictate that members previously convicted and with sentences longer than six months cannot contest for leadership positions in the national executive committee (NEC).
Dlamini’s attempts to appeal the committee’s findings were dismissed. Speaking to The Star on the sidelines of the ANC conference, Dlamini said the disqualification had hurt her, but she was determined to continue working within the ANC to help the organisation revive its fallen structures.
“I was very hurt by my disqualification. It is not organisational to impose views of a minority into the ANC, but because I know you can survive being a member of the ANC without being in the NEC. I thought I should just accept the decision against me and move forward with my life,” she said.
She said having been a member of the party for most of her life, she would not use this disqualification as a way to leave the party, adding that she had a bigger role to play in the revival of the party and its structures.
“My work has always been community mobilisation. I intend doing that moving on with my life. So I am going to continue doing that, but leaving the ANC is something I will never do.”
She said as she took stock of her life going forward, she would be doing a lot more to revive the ANC, ensuring that the party returned to its former glory at the grass roots level.
In spite of the challenges that have hampered the conference, Dlamini said she was happy that delegates had been able to express their feelings and their views on the kind of leaders they wanted to see emerge.
“I am glad that in spite of the delays to the programme and the lack of progress and co-ordination of events, delegates are able to express themselves and voice their feelings and opinions without any fear of repercussions.
“I think something needs to be done to root out some of the things that are happening which are not part of the DNA of the ANC which have hampered and affected the start of the conference. There (are) things that are an anomaly which we have seen and are not the culture of the ANC.
“As the ANC, we adopt the programme first, then we go to the political report and other constitutional matters before closed sessions and credentials, but things have not gone orderly,” she said.
The Star