ANC Western Cape prioritises gangsterism, crime ahead of NGC mid-term review

The African National Congress (ANC) in the Western Cape has been taking stock of the resolutions taken at the party’s 2022 National Conference in preparation for next week's mid-term review.

The party's expanded new leadership, regions, and branches met in Cape Town on Sunday to discuss its report to the ANC's National General Council (NGC).

It says it's putting provincial issues of gangsterism, crime and policing at the top of its agenda.

The party said it will also deal with what it says is the lack of service delivery and disaster plans in the townships, under a Democratic Alliance (DA)-led government.

It’s been a month since the ANC’s National Executive reconfigured the Western Cape's provincial leadership, just two years since their election, by bringing in members from its old guard, in attempts to wrest further electoral decline ahead of the next local government elections.

The provincial task team is being led by former city councillor and Mitchell’s Plain community activist Jerimiah Thuynsma, after the party’s former premier Ebrahim Rasool indicated he had other commitments.

ANC provincial spokesperson Sifiso Mtsweni said this arrangement will remain in place until after the next municipal elections.

“The PEC is not disbanded. The PEC is reconfigured. The PEC is strengthened. There’s additional capacity that has been brought on board. And this is not unique to the Western Cape. Gauteng, as we speak, has been strengthened.”

Mtsweni said next week's National General Council (NGC) takes place against the backdrop of two key factors, the party’s 2024 electoral performance and the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU).

He said the ANC in the Western Cape is in the unique position of having been in opposition to a DA leadership in the metro and the province for almost two decades.

“We in the Western Cape might have a particular view about the DA itself and whether it’s in the best interest of the ANC at the national level to work with the DA.”

100 delegates from the province will attend the party’s National General Council.