ANC's policy conference: A mammoth task 'to tackle in a few days' - analyst

Refilwe Moloto was in conversation with political analyst Sanet (née Madonsela) Solomon.

Proceedings at the ANC's sixth national policy conference have commenced.

On Thursday evening, acting ANC secretary-general Paul Mashatile called an urgent meeting with provincial leaders to discuss measures to prevent the misbehaviour of delegates following scenes at the KZN provincial party conference in Durban - where some delegates sang pro-Zuma songs.

Leading up to the conference, the party was threatened with protests by its staff members from its headquarters - Luthuli House who said they had not been paid their salaries for two months.

Nevertheless, the policy conference – critical to the ANC’s future – must go on.

Issues the ANC says it wants to tackle at its policy conference include:

digital communications
increasing the quality of journalism
SOEs
electricity
e-visas
the improvement of public/private partnerships
Basic Income Grant
reviewing the education system
geopolitical tensions
climate change
cybersecurity
migration

Refilwe Moloto interviewed political analyst Sanet Madonsela, who waded through the policy documents and had this to say: (scroll up to listen).

It’s quite a lot they want to tackle in just a few days.
Sanet (née Madonsela) Solomon, political analyst

The ANC will talk about reviewing its education policy, but it does not have the figures they need to do so, said Madonsela.

She added that the country's education system had failed the economy.

There’s a mismatch between what the education system offers and what the labour market needs… How are we expecting people to adapt to the labour market when they need 30% or 35% to pass…
Sanet (née Madonsela) Solomon, political analyst

The ruling party is considering turning the R350 grant given during the pandemic into a permanent Basic Income Grant.

The problem in South Africa is that we are 60.6 million people, but only 1.6 million people contribute to income tax… Where does the money come from? … You also have reduced economic growth.
Sanet (née Madonsela) Solomon, political analyst

Madonsela argues there is a contradiction between the ANC wanting private investment in infrastructure and its support for expropriation without compensation.

They want the private sector to invest more in infrastructure… Why would somebody invest in something that can be taken away? What incentive do you have to upkeep a property? If I owned property, and there’s a possibility it would be taken away, I would not invest in more property.
Sanet (née Madonsela) Solomon, political analyst

Madonsela believes the discussion around “improving journalism” might have to do with the fact that “the ANC is being attacked by journalists”.

We have amazing journalists in the country. They are breaking stories that the people need to know about.
Sanet (née Madonsela) Solomon, political analyst

It is often said that South Africa has the policies in place, but that implementation thereof is what is lacking.

This, unfortunately, is not part of the discussion.