Cape Times

ANC postpones NEC meeting on coalitions to ‘later this week’

THE embattled ANC has refuted reports suggesting that it was divided as it navigates the coalition negotiatio­ns after it failed to win an outright majority in the National Assembly and some provinces.

This happened as the meeting of the party’s highest decision-making body between conference­s did not convene as expected yesterday, despite secretary-general Fikile Mbalula indicating on Sunday that they would be reporting on the negotiatio­n talks.

Instead, national spokespers­on Hlengiwe Bhengu-Motsiri confirmed yesterday that the ANC would hold its national executive committee (NEC) meeting “this week”.

Bhengu-Motsiri said the ANC, led by Mbalula, was consulting the mass democratic movement, various interest groups and other political parties with a view of achieving national unity.

“We urge all to rely solely on informatio­n from our official channels which are led by the ANC spokespers­on. We remain committed to taking the nation into our confidence,” Bhengu-Motsiri said.

The ANC is currently engaged in coalition negotiatio­ns.

Meanwhile, the SACP is expected to convene a special extended meeting of its political bureau, which will be attended by the party’s provincial secretarie­s and chairperso­ns, to consider the way forward on the coalitions.

The move by the SACP comes after Cosatu outlined the principles that should guide coalition government­s the ANC will enter into.

Acting spokespers­on Matthew Parks said the labour federation would support a government which protected workers’ rights and that did not undermine the labour laws.

“We must have a government that accelerate­s the fight against corruption and crime, which is based on principles of renewing the state and society,” Parks said.

Parks said Cosatu would discuss the nitty-gritty of the coalition arrangemen­t with its alliance partners, the SACP and the ANC.

In another developmen­t, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will officially receive the lists of designated MPs and Members of Provincial Legislatur­es from the Electoral Commission (IEC) chairperso­n Mosotho Moepya tomorrow afternoon.

This is part of the preparatio­ns for the first sitting of the National Assembly that will be held not more than 14 days after the declaratio­n of the election results on May 2.

Zondo will also hand over the lists of designated Members of the Provincial Legislatur­es to the designated Judge President to preside over the first sittings of the provincial legislatur­es.