Focus on ANC’s much-anticipated January 8 Statement

Final preparations are underway for the ANC’s 114th anniversary celebrations in the North West this week.

The January 8 statement will be delivered by party president Cyril Ramaphosa.

The statement traditionally sets the tone for the ANC’s programme for the year ahead, reflecting on challenges faced by the party and outlining planned interventions under a chosen theme.

ANC National Spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu says the party's focus is not so much on talk but rather on service delivery interventions.

"We even have our local service delivery intervention teams, our local government team, our rapid response teams from Luthuli House - so the entire of Luthuli House is in the North West.

And work on service delivery improvements had already begun promises Bhengu.

"We've already started going to places [in North West], where we see a pothole we call the councillor and they need to call their principal, the Mayor, on the spot."

But what about in other parts of the country, asks 702's Ray White.

Problems in Gauteng, for example, are well-documented, particularly in Johannesburg.

In September, after being named the Democratic Alliance’s mayoral candidate for the city, DA Federal Chairperson Helen Zille noted that there were parts of the city that were 'completely devastated'.

"The general mood in Johannesburg is that the city is turning around. And let us watch that space. As the ANC, we are absolutely certain that we are going to fix Johannesburg."

Despite the challenges (and complaints) faced by the party, Bhengu maintains it's not all bad news for the ANC.

"The achievements [of the ANC over the past 30 years] still far outweigh the difficulties."

To listen to Mahlengi Bhengu in conversation with 702's Ray White, click audio below: