Cdes and Leaders, With the fear that I have absconded from contributing to this forum for quiet some time now, I am tempted to put oil in an already burning fire. I will try not to be controversial as always but will not spare my words to nurse egos and feelings of those who will be fortunate to read this engagement. Cde Kaizer wrote a very interesting input. However, I have some statements I would want to differ with. The statements in quotes are statements extracted from Cde Kaizer's input. I will afterwards provide my view in terms of the statements. Let me begin - "... it is not acceptable that we should think that communities were wrong to protest and demand what belongs to them in terms of basic services like housing, water, electricity, and many other services". If we continue with the notion of "demanding" basic services, I bet, as a country we will always be in fire. Water and electricity should be services that are non-negotiable and the leaders that should be deployed after next years elections should keep that in mind. With regard to housing and other services like roads infrastructure, one will rely on the limited resources to ensure that these infrastructure is provided for. It is in these services (construction) where we mainly need public service of our public representative. The tender process is a serious delay of provision of such services. Our public representatives should open lines of communication with communities to ensure that information on progress is disseminated. In most cases than not, in all the areas where the were violent protests, nothing has been done except that explanations were given to communities on why such services could not be provided this financial year and so forth. So, Cde Kaizer is right to say communities are correct to demand their rightful services, however our representatives should not wait for communities to put pressure before such services are provided. Our representatives should be the face of the organisation thus advocate for what the organisation stands for through their government responsibilities. It is not correct to support rather a tradition that makes government to work for the people after the people have protested for services. "... when we discover corruption in municipalities, we should equally find out why political appointees like Mayors failed to see this corruption." The only way Mayors could find out about corruption is through external investigations which are commissioned by councils. In provincial and national governments, the accounting officers can commission investigations but in municipalities, almost everything must be approved by council or be a standing resolution of SALGA. This situation nullifies powers of the Mayor and the Mayoral committee. Until we correct the modus operandi, which should be the task of the incoming deployees, our municipalities will not take us forward. However, it becomes a different case where the council does not know its powers, Mayors get worshiped by members of council. Whatever they say, goes while service delivery get hampered by their decisions. It will be a different case if most powers are vested on Mayoral Committees just like in provincial and national governments where most powers are vested in cabinet. One hardly finds a national department or provincial government being put under administration in terms of section 100 but there are many municipalities put under administration. It is because major decision making lies with a big forum like council - in this case infightings and factions overshadows the will of the ruling organisation. "...no commander will choose soldiers who do not believe in him or her, lest there be a mutiny at a very critical moment of the war." In the ANC, we believe in one center which is the ANC. The statement by Cde Kaizer openly supports crony-sm, nepotism and the selection of yes persons to surround the leader. Cde Pallo couldnt make it to the 1999 - 2004 c abinet because he did not agree wMokaba and others. In the current situation, the presidency is experiencing an exodus of competent staff because of the same crony-sm. Selection of the Mayoral Committees in the ANC-led municipalities should be okayed by the PEC of the ANC. We have, as an organisation, created work for pals in the name of trust and believe. The ANC today is not holding as a centre because those in echelons of leadership are selective on issues and want to act quickly if the person is not subscribing to their factional tendencies. A clear example is Cde Vavi who stands firm against corruption and crony-sm. So, the leaders that we need in municipalities post local government elections should fight against nepotism, crony-sm, tribalism and any other negative -sm. They must recognise all members of the organisation as equal but with different capabilities. "... The previously, 1996 class project led government ..." I do not agree with this phase on the basis that since 1994, we never had a government that was not led by the ANC. It is very dangerous to remove a certain epoch and place it under a faction or a system. The ANC manifesto recognises the progress and the failures of the ANC-led government since 1994. It never separated any epoch because of some elements within the movement that advocated a different agenda. I will advise comrades to re-read or read the document of the SACP that speaks about the 1996 class project. It does not recognise the project as an institution or organisation. The document does not describe the project as an individual but a system that needed to be dealt with. There are many of those today who speak against the 1996 class project but are central in keeping the project alive. The project was not defeated in Polokwane. We might have changed the use of the language but the project is what Cde Blade and Cde Vavi are currently fighting. Tenderprenuership of a selected few who do tenders in all provinces through corrupt means is but a perpetuation of the 1996 class project. Having close allies of our leaders in mining, IT, phone and monopoly businesses is what was observed as a 1996 class project, and the examples are limitless. "In many municipalities, Municipal Managers were and continue to be the most corrupt people, despite their masters’ degree etc..." This statement projects education as a cause for corruption. As a developmental state we need more focus on education and statements like these do not appreciate excellence. We have many technocrats of government who were self taught but are organic intellectuals and committed to the struggle. In the same way we have government technocrats that can neither read nor write, who are a burden of government. Many scholars and researchers have confirmed that those with education are better competent and good managers than those without education. Though debatable, we as a country, need an educated workforce in the fields of engineering, IT, Education, commerce and project management. Such a workforce will assist in developing and sustaining our country. Most of those who are economically active are unemployable in these fields. So, competence and education should be promoted at all cost. In fact we need engineers who can sacrifice their huge salaries in the private sector and assist government to build schools, roads, clinics etc... In conclusion, I agree with Cde Kaizer that communities should demand what is rightfully theirs. I agree that we need leaders with traceable struggle credentials who are loyal to the movement and the citizens. I agree that we need political power in order to change the economic lives of our people. I agree that political deployments should check educational qualifications but I think all technocrats and government officials should possess some qualifications.
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