Gwede Mantashe COSATU

South Africa – Cape Town – 6 October 2019 – The ANC in the Dullah Omar kicked off O.R. Tambo Month with a memorial lecture on the life and times of O.R. Tambo presented by ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe. The lecture took place at Kalkfontein Primary School.
Date: 06 October 2019
Time: 15h00
Venue: Kalkfontein Primary School
Pictures Courtney Africa/African News Agency (ANA)

Mantashe: ‘We are not going to succumb to any threat to change the regime’

The ANC national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe has outlined its position on a document titled :ANC Turnaround strategy 2025

Gwede Mantashe COSATU

South Africa – Cape Town – 6 October 2019 – The ANC in the Dullah Omar kicked off O.R. Tambo Month with a memorial lecture on the life and times of O.R. Tambo presented by ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe. The lecture took place at Kalkfontein Primary School.
Date: 06 October 2019
Time: 15h00
Venue: Kalkfontein Primary School
Pictures Courtney Africa/African News Agency (ANA)

 ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe confirmed on Tuesday 3 November 2020 that the party had met with the authors of a document titled: ANC Turnaround strategy 2025.

The document which has been widely circulated on social media platforms, emanates from a recently held cadres summit of retired generals led by former defence intelligence head Maomela “Mojo” Motau.

The document which is highly critical of the party, is calling for the disbandment of the ANC’s National Executive Committee and the immediate instalment of a National Task Team to oversee the affairs of the party.

The generals contend that the party has lost its credibility and legitimacy.

“The directions the movement is taking the country and our people are suspect. We offer no clear direction to our people. Our pronouncements have now been reduced to mere political demagogy.”

They outlined their main considerations in the document, namely:

1. The ANC has lost its character and content of a liberation movement;

2. Effective political education in the ANC is lacking;

3. Cadre development has not taken place in the movement;

4. The ANC is not championing practical economic programmes;

 5. The ANC has not pursued any clear decolonisation agenda;

 6. The ANC has totally lost the information warfare;

 7. Neo-liberalism has permeated ANC thinking and approaches.

Mantashe was quick to state that even tough they had opted to engage the group, it had no legitimate standing in so far as ANC structures are concerned.

“ it’s important to state that we did meet the group even though it has no standing in the ANC this is informed by the understanding of the ANC leadership that it must listen to ANC members and be constructive in dealing with critics,” said Mantashe

ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe

He also stated that even tough the retired generals were not coup plotters, their document was not far from an analysis they had made a few years ago of the threat for regime change in Southern Africa in areas that are governed by liberation movements.

“We said lets get over it and be appreciative of the fact that we are not going to succumb to any attempt to change the regime” he said

The national chair also criticised the decision to release the document publicly stating that it could only serve to cause confusion in society. He however committed that they would still engage the generals but in closed sessions.