STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE

AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS ON THE OCCASION OF THE

105THANNIVERSARY OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS.
8 January 2017
Orlando, Soweto
Gauteng
Comrades, Compatriots, Friends and fellow South Africans.
The African National Congress turns 105 years old today.
This tremendous achievement is the result of the dedication, sacrifice and hard work of
millions of people, in South Africa and across the world, who acted in unity to ensure that we
can live in a free South Africa. Many of you present here today are part of those who fought
alongside the ANC and the broad Mass Democratic Movement to achieve the freedoms we
enjoy today. This celebration is your celebration, your victory.
Comrade Oliver Reginald Tambo would have celebrated 100 years of age had he lived until
2017. We dedicate this year his centenary to him. President Tambo served as president of
our Movement from 1967 to 1991 and is regarded as the glue that held the many facets of the
ANC together during the difficult years in exile. Comrade OR united the Movement by
listening and engaging with the concerns of comrades, by staying true to the core values of
the ANC and through displaying great integrity and discipline in serving his people.
We recall the words of Isithwalandwe/SeaparankoePresident Nelson Mandela at the funeral
of comrade OR:
...Oliver lived because he had surrendered his very being to the people.
He lived because his very being embodied love, an idea, a hope, an aspiration, a vision.
While he lived, our minds would never quite formulate the thought that this man is other than
what the naked eye could see.
We could sense it, but never crystallise the thought that with us was one of the few people
who inhabited our own human environment, who could be described as the jewel in our
crown.
I say that Oliver Tambo has not died, because the ideals for which he sacrificed his life can
never die.
We also honour one of the great heroes of liberation struggles throughout the
world, Commandante Fidel Castro, who passed away on 25 November 2016. The ANC takes
this moment to, once again, express our appreciation to the people of Cuba for sharing their
son with the world. His legacy lives on!
All cadres of the Movement must emulate the historic examples of President OR Tambo and
Comrade Fidel Castro to influence our ongoing selfless service to the people.

OLIVER REGINALD TAMBO A TRUE SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE AND

EMBODIMENT OF THE PURSUIT OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC
REVOLUTION.
Isithwalandwe/Seaparankoe Oliver Reginald Tambo was born on 27 October 1917 and he
spent most of his life serving his people. Comrade OR led our Movement through some of its
most difficult times and under conditions of extreme oppression and persecution.
The ANC has remained resolute in our determination to liberate the people of South Africa
and we have been consistent for more than one hundred years - about our strategic objective
to put in place a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.
Working with the people, we will continue to adapt our strategies and tactics to respond to
the prevailing material conditions. The ANC pledges to you that we will continue to fight for
the creation of a National Democratic Society, throughout our lives, until we have won our
liberty!
President Tambo was grounded in this revolutionary theory and he was consistently clear
about the ANCs commitment to the National Democratic Revolution. He highlighted, at the
72nd anniversary of the ANC in 1984, that the future belongs to the majority of the people of
South Africa, black and white, who, in struggle, are today laying the foundations of a united,
non-racial, democratic South Africa in what will then, but only then, become a peaceful and
rapidly advancing region of Africa.
The ANC believes that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, united in
our diversity. Our struggle, however, has always been about the liberation of the oppressed
majority; blacks in general and Africans in particular. This requires concrete action by
all sectors of society and all the people of South Africa to ensure that we are fully liberated
and contribute to becoming a peaceful and rapidly advancing region of Africa.
We salute the courage and commitment demonstrated by the more than 600 South African
Native Labour Corps soldiers who perished, 100 years ago, when SS Mendi sunk in the
English Channel. These soldiers were compelled to assist the British Army in the First World
War. The sacrifice of these soldiers is a reminder of our brutal past and highlights that South
Africans must celebrate the tremendous strides we have made towards building a National
Democratic Society, a society that is united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and
prosperous. The plight of these soldiers is starkly illustrated by the words of Reverend
Isaac WauchopeDyobha who perished aboard the SS Mendi.
"Be quiet and calm, my countrymen. What is happening now is what you came to do...you are
going to die, but that is what you came to do. Brothers, we are drilling the death drill. I, a
Xhosa, say you are my brothers...Swazis, Pondos, Basotho...so let us die like brothers. We are
the sons of Africa. Raise your war-cries, brothers, for though they made us leave
our assegais in the kraal, our voices are left with our bodies.
We have not yet achieved all our goals. Our society is still plagued by instances of racism and
pervasive sexism and patriarchy. We can do more to promote democracy and too many
people are still living in poverty. One of our biggest challenges is to build unity and to
celebrate our diversity. We have a revolutionary duty to eradicate poverty, address
joblessness and fight ever-pervasive inequality!

The National Democratic Revolution (NDR) continues.

We pursue our revolution in conditions that are not of our own choosing. These conditions
impact on our ability to attain our goals. Ideological and political clarity is a necessary
prerequisite for any revolution to succeed. We must have a scientific understanding of the
evolving balance of forces, both globally and domestically. We must be united around the
strategy and tactics required to attain our goals.
The ANC must have unity of purpose and display unity in action in advancing the NDR! The
ANC must concentrate on radical economic transformation and ensure that the people
become more prosperous. We must grow the economy, create jobs and return the land to our
people!
(a) Unity
Comrade OR consistently emphasised the importance of having maximum political and
organisational unity.
The period prior to the 1969 Morogoro Consultative Conference was a period of unhappiness
for our Movement. The leadership of the ANC, headed by President Tambo, discussed issues
frankly and in a comradely manner and showed great willingness to address the concerns
raised by members. The ANC emerged from the Morogoro Conference much stronger and
more united. This renewed unity of purpose allowed President Tambo to sum up the
Conference with the following words.
"Close Ranks! This is the order to our people; our youth; the army; to
each Umkhonto we Sizwemilitant; to all our many supporters the world over. This is the
order to our leaders; to all of us. The order that comes from this conference is: Close Ranks
and Intensify the Armed Struggle!"
The ANCs 1985 Kabwe Conference was a watershed conference, which reasserted the
democratic nature of the ANC even under the most extreme conditions of repression and
persecution. Kabwe entrenched non-racialism in the organisational culture of the
movementby opening up leadership to comrades from all races.Our
Movement developed clear tasks for the intensification of all forms of struggle mass
mobilisation, armed operations, underground organisation and international solidarity work.
The Kabwe Conference also emphasised the importance of utmost unity in order to defeat the
regime and liberate the people.
Like comrade OR, cadres of the Movement must be inspired by the spirit of unity that
informed the signing of the Three Doctors Pact. Seventy years ago, the ANC, the Transvaal
Indian Congress (TIC) and the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) pledged mutual support for one
anothers campaigns. Doctors Xuma, Dadoo and Naicker, the presidents of the respective
organisations, signed the Pact, which represented the beginnings of the Congress Alliance.
These three leaders were clear that the success of our revolution depended on showing unity
and discipline in the face of heinous oppression. We salute them.
Today, our Movement faces serious challenges to its unity. Divisive tendencies such as
factionalism, gatekeeping and manipulation of internal processes exist at all levels of

the ANC, the ANC Leagues, the Alliance and the Mass Democratic Movement. These
tendencies inhibit our ability to give decisive leadership to society.
The people have told us that we are too busy fighting each other and we do not pay sufficient
attention to their needs. Our own research and interactions with members of the ANC
demonstrate clearly that the people abhor the apparent preoccupation with personal gain.
People are clear: their main priorities are jobs, fighting crime and corruption. Our task is
therefore to grow the economy, create jobs and rigorously fight crime and corruption.
Above all, we must commit to the unity of the ANC and the only noble fight that we must
engage in is a fight to serve the people and not ourselves!
We must learn from President OR and continue to demonstrate to the people, in word and in
deed, that the ANC remains the organisation most capable of leading South Africa. The ANC
must unite so that we are able to unite the people against our common enemies
unemployment, poverty and inequality.
ANC Leagues are at the coalface of representing the specific interests of their constituencies
within the Movement. They have the additional responsibility of uniting these constituencies
behind the NDR.
We depend on the ANC Youth League to mobilise young people and to act as a preparatory
school for members of the ANC. The Youth League must emulate the spirit of comrades who
launched the South African Youth Congress (SAYCO) 30 years ago. They must mobilise and
unite young people. The youth of today are more connected to each other and the world with
the advance of communications and information technology. They are therefore more
informed about local and global events and the ANCYL must attract young activists, from all
sectors, to strengthen our Movement.
Our youth must seize the moment and promote discussion, the flourishing of ideas and
practice strict organisational discipline and democracy. This is the legacy of OR Tambo.
Members of the Youth League must take heed of the courage shown by comrades such as
Ashley Kriel, who like the peoples hero Solomon Mahlangu of the 1976 generation,
sacrificed their lives for us to enjoy the freedom that we take for granted today. This young
MK soldier was shot to death by the Apartheid security forces 30 years ago.
The women of this country, throughout the ages, have proven to be strong and resilient in the
face of challenges and triumphs.
Mmangwana o tshwara thipa ka fa bogaleng.
(Mothers catch or hold a knife by its sharp edge.)
Oliver Tambos vision of building a strong mass organisation of women to ensure the total
liberation of our society must be realised by the ANC Womens League. Together, we must
continue to lead the struggle to dismantle the structures of patriarchal oppression.
The ANC Veterans League must be a source of wisdom and guidance for the Movement.
Veterans are the repository of years of organisational wisdom and knowledge and the ANC
can only benefit when veterans and stalwarts take a more active role in shaping the next
generation of leaders. We call on our veterans and stalwarts to become more active in the

structures of the Movement and, in particular, to become more active in political education at
all levels of our organisation.
We commemorate the bravery and unity of the Luthuli Detachment which participated in the
Wankie and Sipolilo campaigns, which were launched 50 years ago. Combatants
of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Zimbabwe Peoples Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) crossed
into the then Rhodesia and took on the military might of white domination in fierce combat.
Comrade OR, during a tribute to comrade Moses Mabhida, highlighted the importance of
recognising that the durability of the alliance between the ANC, the Communist Party and
the trade union movement lay in strengthening each as an independent organisation that
respected one another within the context of revolutionary unity and interdependence.
We inherited this strategic Alliance, which was forged in the crucible of struggle and we dare
not be cavalier in how we treat one another and our Alliance. Our task is to unite the
Alliance, to guard it jealously and to not tear ourselves apart. It is up to us to recognise that
the Alliance remains vital to mobilise and unite the broadest cross section of people behind
the goals of the NDR. Let us develop joint campaigns and programmes to take our struggle
forward.
ANC cadres know that we must be united and show unity of purpose to work together for the
success of the NDR. Unity is the fundamental prerequisite for ensuring that we achieve our
goals and succeed in addressing the challenges facing our society. We must work for
this unity in a concrete manner. ANC branches must be open to all who will abide by the
values of the Movement and are willing to serve the people. Our structures must serve as
dynamic and living forces for uniting communities and we repeat that there is space in the
ANC for everyone!
When the ANC says that we must unite; we do not speak of unity for its own sake. We are
clear that we are not calling for unity in defence of corruption or other negative tendencies.
The ANC calls for unity in pursuit of the NDR!
We must guard against distrust, which breeds disunity and has begun to creep into our
broader body politic. The conduct of some elected representatives in Parliament, various
legislatures and other platforms illustrate that the various political parties seem to be unable
to disagree without such disagreements descending into ugly and immature displays. Leaders
across the political divide must foster agreement around the need for all South Africans to
unite for the sake of our country and our future. We can disagree as South Africans and still
engage one another respectfully. The people elect us to represent them and their interests and
we must perform these duties with honesty, integrity and mutual respect.
South Africans must be united in working together to create a better life for all. Building
South Africa will require compromise and sacrifice from every single one of us. We call on
all South Africans to contribute, each according to his or her ability. We call on the private
sector to work with government and organised labour to increase their contribution in areas
such as manufacturing and construction. This will create more jobs. We call on artists,
athletes, academia, the faith-based sector and other civil society formations to work hand-in
hand with the ANC in strengthening the nation. Let us together build our nation!

South Africa is a sovereign, democratic country. Our country is one national asset, which is
our common heritage. We must be united in promoting and jealously guarding our national
interests.

(b) A Prosperous society

President Tambo often emphasised that the ANC has a vision of South Africa in which black
and white live in conditions of peace and prosperity. The struggle for economic freedom and
prosperity of all South Africans underpins all our actions during this phase of our transition.
Prior to the global crisis, South Africas economy was growing at an average of nearly 4 per
cent. Millions of jobs were created. Basic service provision was expanding and so was social
welfare inclusion. We were making rapid strides on eradicating poverty, joblessness and
inequality. We were on course to delivering on a promise of a more socially just society.
The global economic recovery is currently very unstable. Consequently, as we are connected
into the global economic system, we have been impacted negatively. Growth is slow or
negative in major developed and developing economies. Investment by private sector is,
particularly in the developing countries, low. Trade between countries has fallen. Growth in
Sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to have slowed to 1.4 per cent in 2016 from 3.4 per cent in
2015.
The ANC is optimistic that the 2017 growth forecast of 2.9 per cent will be achieved.
Education and skills are fundamental requirements for creating a prosperous society. The
ANC is inspired by the great intellect of Comrade OR and celebrates this
teacher through appreciating the importance of mathematics and science.
The ANC government has made great strides in providing quality basic education. We
are proud of the fact that we are making gradual, but steady, progress in areas such as learner
retention, performance in mathematics and science, the number of bachelor passes and the
performance of learners in rural and township schools.
The ANC commends learners, parents and teachers for their dedication and congratulates the
class of 2016. We celebrate the fact that of all the learners who sat the 2016 matric exams,
76. 2% passed. The ANC is especially proud of the Free State, which achieved
astaggering 93.2% pass rate. It is equally commendable that an increasing number of the top
performing learners are from fee-free public schools.
The above is a clear illustration that our pro-poor policies work! This is your victory!
Our successes in basic education add to the legitimate demands for quality and affordable
post-school education. We agree, on a fundamental level, that we must achieve our goal of
the progressive realisation of free education for the poor and working class, as per the
prescripts of the Freedom Charter.
Central to South Africas higher education funding crisis is a university system that is grossly
underfunded, small in size and where education is increasingly sold as a commodity. The
financial burden is increasingly transferred to poor and working class families, in particular.

In line with the prescripts of the Freedom Charter that "higher education and technical
training shall be opened to all by means of state allowances and scholarships awarded on the
basis of merit, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) currently covers over
75% of students in tertiary institutions. We have also introduced measures to alleviate the
burden on students whose families earn up to R600 000 a year, the so-called missing
middle. During the last financial year, our government has spent just over R9 billion to assist
students from poor and working class families.
The provision of a fully subsidised free university education for new university entrants from
poor and working class families in 2017 is expected to cost the state slightly less than R6
billion.
The Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education and Training, led by
Justice Heher, will make final recommendations on the long-term funding of higher
education and training. As we wait for the commission to conclude its work in the next few
months, we expect all higher education stakeholders and government to speak with one
voice.
Addressing poverty, inequality and unemployment is our key task. We shall therefore work
tirelessly to overcome these three challenges. 2017 will be the year where we take more
decisive steps to promote greater economic inclusion and advance black peoples ownership,
control and real leadership of the economy.
It is very encouraging that, as set out in the National Development Plan (NDP), various
sectors of society are increasingly working together to ensure our prosperity. Government,
business and labour have shown that, through working together, we can promote national
interests and make a difference in the economy.
South Africans have shown tremendous spirit and patriotism in all endeavours to maintain
our countrys sovereign credit rating and we commend every person who contributed to
avoiding a credit downgrade. The ANC reiterates that our economic strategy must be aimed
at finding an appropriate balance between meeting our developmental objectives and
promoting inclusive growth. We make a call on all South Africans to contribute
constructively to discussions about our future economic trajectory; keeping in mind our goals
of radical socio-economic transformation, meeting basic needs, attaining more inclusive
growth and reducing public debt.
The ANC remains committed to putting in place a decent and living wage for all. The ANC is
encouraged by the deliberations currently underway between the social partners on
the proposal of a floor wage of R3 500 a month. This is not a living wage, but is a starting
point below which no employer should pay workers. An agreement on the minimum wage
will reduce wage inequality and fulfil the demand made by our people 62 years ago when the
Freedom Charter was adopted. We encourage South Africans to participate in the discussions
aimed at reaching consensus about the eventual figure of the national minimum wage.
As the governing party, the ANC must use the levers of state power to transform the
economy and improve the lives of our people. It has a duty to use government incentives,
procurement, infrastructure investment and other measures to create new industries and
expand existing industries. Doing so will increase ownership of the economy by the black
majority. The ANCgovernment must use the measures available through initiatives like the

black industrialists programme to develop township and rural economies and to create jobs
for our people.
The manufacturing sector can be a catalyst for transforming the economy and creating jobs.
This is illustrated by the fact that this sector created more than 7 000 new jobs during the first
six months of 2016. We call on South Africans, and in particular young, black and female
entrepreneurs, to take advantage of all the programmes and incentives and to help turn South
Africa into a bustling hub of industrialisation and manufacturing. We must boldly turn our
country into a construction site!
In 1984, Comrade OR made a call to make South Africa ungovernable and to make Apartheid
unworkable. This call was met with great enthusiasm and vigour by the oppressed people of
our country. Thirty years ago, in 1987, workers demonstrated the power of people acting in
unity and the South African Railway and Harbour Workers Union (SARHWU) organised a
strike at over 350 depots. The NUM embarked on its biggest ever strike when nearly 360 000
workers went on strike for three weeks. Postal workers, workers at OK Bazaars and autoworkers also went on strike. The bosses and the Apartheid regime responded to these workers
with brutal violence and oppression. Lives were lost, many were injured and thousands were
retrenched.
Hlanganani Basebenzi!
We are encouraged by the recent rise in commodity prices and are relatively confident that
our mining sector will begin to show an improvement in the near future. The ANC expects to
see an increase in production and growth in job creation.
We shall remain vigilant in ensuring that mining communities benefit from mining activities
in their areas and the ANC proposes that all stakeholders engage on how to utilise
beneficiation more effectively to ensure economic growth and job creation.
It has been five years since the 2012 Marikana Tragedy wherein 44 people were killed. The
ANC, once again, extends its condolences to the families of those killed. We re-commit to
our ongoing efforts aimed at improving the social and economic conditions in all mining
areas. The ANC calls on mining houses to give greater effect to the obligations undertaken in
their social and labour plans and to work more closely with government and organised labour
in this regard.
It is time to return the land to our people.
Our land reform and land redistribution programmes have shown measurable success.
However, too many of our people continue to suffer from the historic injustice perpetrated by
the horrendous land dispossessions. We must show courage and determination to ensure that
the land is returned to the people.
One of the legacies of the heinous land dispossessions was that the majority of the
people occupied only 13% of the land. Today, large tracts of land still remain in the hands of
very few people. The peasantry is left with a shrinking land mass to eke a living. We
repeat that it is our duty to return the land to the people.

The Constitution allows for the expropriation of land for a public purpose and in the public
interest. This year, we shall begin to utilise the Expropriation of Land Act to pursue land
reform and land redistribution, with greater speed and urgency, following the prescripts of
our Constitution.
It is vitally important that we carefully plan the utilisation of land in urban areas and rural
communities. Haphazard land grabs will have a negative effect on our ability to plan for the
productive use of the land.
The ANC began a programme of handing over title deeds to beneficiaries and we call on our
government, at local, provincial and national levels, to accelerate this programme. This
programme is especially important in that it gives measurable assets to the affected
beneficiaries, especially the urban poor.
Despite the severe drought, agriculture and agricultural production managed to make a
significant contribution to our GDP and net exports during the last year. The ANC urges
government to continue supporting this sector in mitigating the impact of the drought. We are
convinced that there will be an upswing in growth and that the sector will continue to
contribute to economic development and the creation of jobs.
The NDP notes that state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have a vital role to play in advancing key
national objectives, particularly through providing economic and social infrastructure. The
ANC calls on government to strengthen measures aimed at supporting the SOEs in delivering
on their developmental mandates. We commend the fact that government is putting in place
initiatives such as the Presidential SOE Coordinating Council to ensure that all activities of
the SOEs are aligned to the programme of government.
South Africa has experienced less load shedding since 2015 and we commend Eskom for the
stabilisation of the electricity grid. Continued stabilisation together with the addition of new
capacity will have positive effects on our economic growth and create new jobs.
The ANC pledges to South Africans that we shall continue to balance the need for clean
energy sources with ensuring security of supply. In this regard, we are still committed to
ensuring that expanding nuclear capacity for energy will only take place at a pace and cost
that the country can afford. We are also committed to expanding renewable energy capacity
and initiating ongoing projects to advance its use.
The ANC welcomes ongoing programmes aimed at restoring dignity to the lives of our
people. One of our governments most successful programmes has ensured that more than 22
million people have been provided with housing over the last two decades. We are proud of
the fact that more than half of these beneficiaries have been women. In real numbers, this
translates to more than 4.3 million houses and subsidies. Recipients of government housing
are urged to retain ownership and not sell these assets.
We are creating and developing new communities throughout South Africa. We shall create
entrepreneurs and jobs by supporting SMMEs and cooperatives operating in this sector.
The construction of new clinics and community health centres has multiple benefits. Many
jobs are created during such construction and the affected communities will eventually have
new medical facilities. The ANC calls on government and large construction companies to
partner with SMMEs and cooperatives in building public facilities such as clinics, schools,
libraries, roads and others.

We are rightfully proud of the increase in average life expectancy from 60 years in 2012 to
62.9 years in 2014. This massive improvement in life expectancy is largely due to the success
of our fight against HIV and AIDS.
At the same time, we are concerned about the rate of new HIV infections among adolescent
girls and young women between 15 and 24 years. Research conducted in 14 Southern and
East African countries (including South Africa) estimate that there are 5 000 new infections a
week among young women aged 15 to 24.
The ANC calls on all South Africans to participate in the newly launched whole
government, whole society campaign that aims to reduce new infections among young
women aged 15 to 24 years. Young girls and boys must focus on their future as the next
generation of leaders in our society, the next generation of entrepreneurs, the next generation
of a productive and active workforce, the next generation of teachers, lawyers and teachers.
We encourage communities to safeguard our most valuable asset, our children.
The year 2017 will bring new opportunities to transform our economy - but also new
challenges. The spirit of Comrade Oliver Tambo requires all of us, - black and whites, rich
middle class and poor, young and old, men and women - to radically change the way we
manage and steer our economy. Let us show the world that despite a complex and uncertain
global situation, we can radically transform this economy.

(c) Non-racialism
Building a non-racial society is a necessity in a country as diverse as South Africa. It does not
matter where we came from. We are all here now. The humanist approach of the ANC is that
all people are equal. Respect for the inherent humanity and dignity of all people, especially
the historically oppressed majority, must inform all our actions.
Complete disrespect for human rights and the dignity of all people was evident in the brutal
torture and murder of Steve Biko by the Apartheid security police 40 years ago.
Apartheid entrenched artificial division and distrust between the people based on race and
ethnicity. This divide and rule tactic was transplanted from colonialism and its legacy
continues to plague our society.
South Africa and the world have seen an upsurge in incidents of overt racism and
discrimination. Heinous racist acts, such as the coffin incident involving
Victor Mhlotshwa and the trauma caused to this young man, who merely walked across a
farm owned by white South Africans, should raise our consciousness about violence based on
race and class.
Reports of racism in the hospitality industry and on social media are indications that racists
have become more emboldened. The ANC is convinced that such incidents are indicative of a
persistent challenge and must be fought with all our energy. We cannot allow our society to
go backwards to a situation where we view each other with distrust based on race.

A worrying trend that has re-emerged over the last couple of years is that of narrow ethnic
and tribal nationalism. This is a dangerous phenomenon and has the potential to undermine
our social and national cohesion. We will not allow political disagreements to be portrayed in
terms of race and apparent ethnic or regional differences. This upsurge of racism and ethnic
or tribal nationalism has the potential to divide our country and return us to a situation of
racial and ethnic enclaves.
South Africans have fought too hard and sacrificed too much to allow a vocal minority to
return us to the dark days of racial oppression and discrimination. We commemorate the
death of former ANC President Albert Luthuli, who passed away 50 years ago. Chief Luthuli
was the first African to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and used the occasion of accepting the
award to focus attention on the unjust Apartheid regime and the brutal repression of black
people in South Africa. He was later followed by Isithwalandwe/Seaparankoe Nelson
Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
Every ANC member is called upon to emulate the spirit of Albert Luthuli and to let our
courage rise in times of danger. South Africans know the danger of racism and we must
actively fight against the demon of racialism, ethnic jealousies and divisions as well as all
other backward tendencies that have shed enough of our blood!
We must all work together to create a country that gives effect to the following words of OR:
We have a vision of South Africa in which black and white shall live and work together and
where there will be neither whites nor blacks, just South Africans, free and united in
diversity."

(d) Non-sexist society

President OR Tambo recognised that the struggle for national liberation is intrinsically linked
to the emancipation of women and advocated that women take up their roles among the
fighting ranks of our movement and its command posts.
Equally, we must be sensitive to the reality that we must engender a sense of equality
between men and women.
It is incumbent upon all of us to remember that patriarchy disadvantages both women and
men. We must be consistent in challenging societal norms that engender sexist stereotypes.
The ANC government has made great progress in the advancement of the emancipation of
women and our country has shown considerable improvement in fighting patriarchy and
gender oppression. We have implemented many successful programmes to advance the
economic and social status of women, but much still remains to be done. Women have made
more strides over the last two decades than ever before.
The ANC will actively work to improve womens access to economic opportunities and, in
particular, business financing and credit so that women can pursue business opportunities in
all areas. We urge government to utilise institutions such as the recently launched Womens
Cooperative Bank and all other development finance institutions to further the economic
emancipation of women.

We must do more to promote access to quality education and training for all women, but
especially rural women and children. We must do more to empower women to be in greater
control of their sexual and reproductive health and we must do more to eradicate genderbased violence and abuse of women and children.

(e) A Democratic society

Comrade OR Tambo worked tirelessly to ensure that South Africa becomes a constitutional
democracy and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa is now the supreme law of
the country.
President Tambo led the negotiations towards the democratic transition and said that: "If
peaceful negotiations will result in the formation of a united, democratic, non-racial and
non-sexist South Africa we are not only willing but ready to enter into such negotiations."
Comrade OR led the ANC team that drafted the Harare Declaration, which set out the
ANCs proposals for a political settlement and for negotiations aimed at resolving the South
African conflict. President Tambo was under no illusions about the Apartheid regimes
conduct and insisted that the negotiations would only be successful if all parties engaged in
good faith.
In 1987, Comrade OR appointed a commission of ANC legal experts to draw up a
constitution to reflect the kind of country that the ANC wanted for the future. He participated
in their discussions, often guiding the meetings. In line with the values of the ANC,
President Tambo consistently advocated support for a multiparty democracy and an
entrenched Bill of Rights. These proposals culminated in Ready to Govern, which informed
the ANCs submissions to the Constitutional Assembly and were ultimately included in the
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
We take great pride in the fact that the ANC-government ensured the establishment of a
democratic multi-party Parliament, an independent judiciary based on the rule of law and
various institutions supporting democracy. We must ensure that all of these institutions are
protected and supported.
The pressure and stress of this period took a toll on President Tambos health and he suffered
a stroke in 1989. So dedicated was he to the cause of liberation that he went against the
advice of his doctors and comrades to return to work and maintained his punishing schedule.
This led to another stroke in 1991.
We are proud that our Constitution espouses progressive values and protects all persons
equally. We are especially proud of the protection available to women, children, persons
living with disabilities, the provisions aimed at safeguarding cultural, linguistic and religious
rights and those entrenching the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
intersex (LGBTI) South Africans. The NEC says to leaders and members of the ANC that all
of us are bound by the Constitution and we must respect and give effect to the rights and
obligations therein. We instruct ANC structures and members to be at the forefront of

promoting the rights of all and to lead efforts aimed at spreading progressive values
throughout our communities.
Comrade OR said, in 1991, that the ANC has always been the peoples parliament and that it
remains vitally important that the the decisions of the ANC are shaped by popular mass
endorsement at all times. We must learn from President Tambo and keep in mind that the
people must always have a say in shaping and developing ANC policy and decisions. It
requires the ANC to jealously guard our internal democratic practices and to ensure that we
take society onboard when making decisions.
Branches and structures of the ANC must encourage widespread participation and a broad
range of ideas to influence our decisions. We must make sure that we embody the full
diversity of South African society and that no one who wishes to join the ANC and
participate in our programmes is arbitrarily prevented from doing so. The ANC has
historically been as inclusive and democratic as possible and it is incumbent upon us to
honour this legacy.
It is especially important that the ANC returns to being a peoples parliament and hold broad
and intensive discussions as we review and refine the policies that will inform our
programme for the next five years. The ANCs ideas must be sound and tested through debate
and widespread engagement. All cadres must be able to articulate and defend the positions of
the ANC. It is the tradition of the ANC to discuss matters thoroughly and to build broad
consensus around our ideas. We must remain true to this tradition.
The ANC will elect a new national leadership towards the end of the year. ANC leaders must
demonstrate a desire and commitment to serve the people. They must have a proven track
record and be able to organise and inspire the masses to be their own liberators. Leaders must
have demonstrated capacity to unite and guide our Movement.
Leading the ANC is a tremendous responsibility, which must not be taken lightly. Too often,
comrades fight for leadership positions as they see leadership as the route to material and
personal gain. Leaders who are in positions for nefarious reasons contribute to the decline in
our Movements standing and they have no place in the ANC.
The 2016 Local Government Elections illustrated that South Africans are becoming more
adept at utilising democratic instruments such as the right to vote. The election results prove
that where the people do not agree with the actions or direction of their Movement, they will
use democratic means to express their dissatisfaction. This success of our maturing
democracy must be celebrated.
The right to vote is one of the most important instruments that citizens have and the people
must exercise their voice. Voting is a deeply personal choice and voters must be able exercise
this choice without fear or favour. The task of ANC members and, especially, all ANC public
representatives is to serve the people selflessly and diligently. Our policies, behaviour and
conduct must illustrate that ANC continues to be the best choice for achieving a better life for
all.
At the same time, the ANC has heard the message that the people delivered in August 2016.
We accept that we have made mistakes and shall correct these mistakes. One example of
correcting our mistakes is that where list processes have been manipulated, the ANC has sent

teams to these regions to take the necessary corrective measures. The ANC is in the process
of refining our approach to the selection of candidates to prevent manipulation of ANC list
processes.
South Africa has made tremendous progress over the past two decades and we are proud of
our achievements. The ANC continues to demand that our cadres be disciplined and selfless
in serving the people. Cadres of the Movement must remain true to the values and traditions
of the ANC. We demand that our deployees give effect to ANC policy and there will be
consequences for not adhering to the positions of the Movement. Where any deployee of the
Movement does not adhere to ANC policy, the Movement will act!
In order to ensure that ANC public representatives serve the people, it is demanded of ANC
cadres to sign performance contracts and we will be more vigilant in holding our public
representatives accountable. All ANC councillors have signed performance and
accountability agreements with the Movement and these agreements are being enforced. We
remind the people that ANC councillors must be accessible to the community and hold
regular reporting and feedback meetings and that ANC municipalities must conduct regular
surveys to gauge the levels of satisfaction among their communities. Where these standards
are not adhered to, we request you to report this to the Movement. We commit to you that the
ANC will respond to your concerns.
The NDP enjoins us to build an active citizenry that participates in democratic governance
structures and takes responsibility for their own development. We must make sure that ANC
members take the lead in building these community structures and that the ANC is present in
every community forum, street committee, school governing body and other structures.
Our Constitution recognises the institution, status and role of traditional leadership. As the
ANC was founded, among others, by traditional leaders, we appreciate our historical ties with
traditional leaders. We reaffirm that the ANC supports traditional leadership as an instrument
of unity and an agent of change within our constitutional democracy.
The ANC supports the democratic right of all persons to protest peacefully. However, we are
concerned that legitimate protests become violent and destructive in some instances. Such
violence and destruction undermine the justness of the cause being highlighted and closes the
space for engagement. We call on all South Africans to exercise their right to protest in a
manner that builds our nation.
Crime and corruption will destroy our democracy if we do not act decisively against these
scourges. The ANC government has put in place many programmes to fight corruption and
promote ethics throughout the public service. Corruption also takes place in the private sector
and we encourage the criminal justice system to deal decisively with instances of corruption,
wherever they may occur.
We call on our people to work with the criminal justice system and to report all instances of
crime and corruption. Let us unite in the face of these criminals who seek to undermine our
freedom!
The ANC has continued with our efforts aimed at rooting out corruption and promoting
adherence to the principles of revolutionary morality. Comrade OR Tambo was resolute that
all cadres of the Movement must display a revolutionary morality which does not allow for

personal ambition or factional conspiracies. When leaders and members of the ANC are
corrupt and steal they are betraying the values of the ANC, the people and our country. We
will not allow this! Corruption is corruption and whoever is found guilty thereof will pay the
price.
We will root out corruption, factionalism, buying of members and gate keeping. ANC
members must be living examples of the values of service, selflessness, integrity and
discipline. Members must be vigilant in protecting the internal democratic practices
and traditions of our Movement. The ANC continues to act against all forms of ill-discipline
and we will not hesitate to use the full force of our existing procedures to combat
gatekeeping, corruption and abuse of organisational processes.
Branches of the ANC are the basic units and a repository of all decisions of the ANC. The
power of ANC branches must therefore not be undermined by slates and lobby groups.
Never again, in our democracy, will any newspaper be banned as happened to the World and
Weekend newspapers 40 years ago. As a result of our relentless fight for freedom of religion,
belief, opinion and expression these rights have now been entrenched in our
Constitution. The ANC is unwavering in our defence of freedom of the press and the media,
likewise, should report fairly and factually.

(f) Peace and Friendship

Comrade OR was a great internationalist who criss-crossed the world to engage with people
from various backgrounds and ideologies. He succeeded in building a united, mass force
against the Apartheid regime.
In the year of Oliver Tambo, we also commemorate 100years since the 1917 Great October
Socialist Revolution when Russian workers liberated themselves from autocratic Tsarist rule
and established the first socialist workers state. The ANC remains appreciative of the
solidarity and material support provided by the people of Russia during our struggle for
liberation. Their struggles also inspired our struggles for freedom and the then president of
the ANC, Josiah Gumede, exclaimed after a visit to the Soviet Union:
"I have seen the new world to come, where it has already begun. I have been to
the new Jerusalem. I have brought the key which would unlock the door to freedom."
Our world is increasingly moving away from the concepts of unity across nations and
multilateral engagement on issues of global importance. There is an apparent upsurge of right
wing nationalism in Europe and worrying signs of similar phenomena in other countries.
The ANC continues to champion internationalism based on our ideals of a just and equitable
world. We engage progressive forces across the world to ensure that we build unity to
fight injustice. In this regard, the ANC shall continue to participate in multilateral fora and
work towards the reform of multilateral institutions.
The ongoing strengthening of South-South cooperation and the growing influence of BRICS
are encouraging. The ANC continues to promote the presence and influence of a multiplicity
of voices in international relations.

We are steadfast in our commitment to African unity and the achievement of a prosperous
Africa. A key component of the NDP is the deepening of South Africas integration into the
region and the continent. We continue to do this on the basis of our commitment to the
African Union Agenda 2063.
The ANC celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the independence of Ghana and remains
inspired by its son, Kwame Nkrumah, who was a great supporter of pan-Africanism and key
to the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement.
The launch of the African Union 15 years ago was another important step in building unity
across the continent and the ANC will continue to forge solidarity in addressing the social,
economic and political problems facing the continent.
The ANC urges our government to continue our peacekeeping efforts and solidarity work in
countries such as South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African
Republic and others.
The ANC re-affirms our solidarity and unity with all the oppressed people of the world.
We remain unwavering in our support for an independent and free Western Sahara. We shall
continue to offer concrete support and solidarity for the programmes of the Polisario Front.
The ANC continues to stand with the people of Cuba and calls on the United States to return
Guantanamo Bay and lift the economic embargo. The ANC urges the incoming US
administration to continue efforts aimed at normalising relations between the two countries.
The people of Palestine continue to suffer in their rightful quest for self-determination and the
ANC pledges its ongoing solidarity and support for their just cause. We reiterate that we
firmly discourage travel to Israel for causes not related to fostering peace in the region.
The ANC repeats our call for all the people of Palestine to work together in achieving the
goal of self-determination. We support UN Security Council Resolution 2334 of December
2016.
The ANC is deeply disturbed by the situation in Syria and we call on the international
community to assist the people of Syria to find a peaceful and lasting resolution to the
conflict.

TASKS OF THE MOVEMENT

The tasks of the Movement are founded on the desire to unite the people of South Africa,
unite our Movement and ensure that we work together for a better life for all.
Every member, branch and structure must focus on building the African National Congress.
Our strength lies in solidarity with the aspirations of the people. We call on all ANC
members, structures and the Alliance partners to work together and build unity at local,
regional, provincial and national levels. We specifically call on all leaders of structures to
foster greater unity by ensuring greater inclusivity and engaging with a wide cross-section of
people and organisations within society.

 The Movement must work to unite communities around the strategic objectives of the NDR.
We call on our members to organise and participate in discussions on how to build a common
South African identity and to develop campaigns to strengthen national solidarity.
We repeat that we expect our branches and structures to lead campaigns on non-racialism,
eradicating patriarchy and all forms of sexism and other campaigns that promote progressive
values in society. The ANC commits to working with all progressive forces in these
campaigns.
The ANC is the peoples movement and we must lead a concerted drive throughout the
country to recruit new members and to bring former supporters and activists back to the
structures of the Movement. In this regard, we call on ANC members to be decisive and
stamp out gatekeeping, buying of members and manipulation of internal democratic
processes.
Members of the ANC are called upon to be exemplary in their conduct and lifestyle. We
expect our cadres to emulate Comrade OR Tambo and live a life of humility, integrity and
selfless service to the people.
We shall be embarking on a process of policy review and the ANC calls on its structures to
spread the message of the ANC widely and to encourage discussion about ANC policy
proposals within their communities. The leadership of the ANC must ensure that these
discussions encompass all sectors of society.
The 54th National Conference will take place in December 2017 and we encourage members
and structures to prepare thoroughly for the Conference. There must be consensus on the
policies and programmes that the Movement must pursue during the next five years. These
policies must inform the discussion about leadership. We therefore expect that ANC
members will firstly conclude in-depth discussions about the principles that qualify comrades
for leadership. There must be agreement about these principles before comrades begin
discussions about the names of specific leaders.
We expect our government to do the following
o Give effect to President Tambos vision for the nation and create a society that is
prosperous. We must focus on radical economic transformation. The economy must be in the
hands of the majority of the people.
o We must return the land to the people.
o We must put more resources into education and, in particular, higher education and
training.

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
The ANC presents the achievement awards to structures and ANC councils in recognition of
excellent performance and best practice in serving the people.
We are pleased to announce the winners of the ANC Achievement Awards for 2017:
The Sol Plaatje Award, conferred on the best performing ANC branch, goes to the Nelson
Mandela branch, Bohlabela region, Mpumalanga.
The runner-up is Ward 19, Eddy Ngwanaengbranch, Dr Ruth Mompati region, North
West.
The Charlotte Maxeke Award, conferred on the best performing ANC Women`s League
branch, goes to the Moses Kotane branch, Bojanala region, North West.

 The Anton Lembede Award, conferred on the best performing ANC Youth League branch,
goes to the Lillian Ngoyi branch, Lejweleputswa region, Free State.
The ZK Matthews Award, conferred on the best performing group of ANC councillors goes
to the ANC councillors of the Nkangala District Municipality, Mpumalanga.
The runner-up is Lejweleputswa District Municipality, Free State
We congratulate the recipients of these awards.
OBITUARIES:
The ANC wishes to honour the spirit and unwavering courage of those comrades who passed
away during 2016. We pledge to honour their dedication and selfless service.
COMRADES:
Hermanus Loots (James Stuart), Habakuk Shikwane, Jules Browde, Don Mkhwanazi,
Phyllis Ntantala-Jordan, Makhenkesi Stofile, Mewa Ramgobin,
William Mlamli(Ngalitye) Ondala, Riot Mkhwanazi, Beata Lipman, Dumisani Mazolo Mafu,
Reverend Simon Gqubule, Ouma Tsopo, Rok Ajulu and many others.
As we close, we must once again pay special tribute to a man from humble beginnings,
hailing from beyond the Engeli Mountains. The son of Kaizana, one of the architects of a
democratic South Africa whose life was cut short on the eve of our freedom.
Comrade Oliver Tambo was resolute that all our actions must be inspired exclusively by a
desire to serve the people. The principles, practices and style of leadership of Comrade OR
enabled the ANC to emerge as the vehicle through which we achieved the democratic
breakthrough of 1994. We must continue to honour Comrade Tambo and earn our position as
leader of society.
A strong, vibrant, principled and united ANC remains best placed to advance the National
Democratic Revolution.
Let us build and deepen unity. We must make sure that the peoples cause continues to
triumph!
THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DECLARES THIS THE YEAR OF
OLIVER REGINALD TAMBO: LET US DEEPEN UNITY!

The ANC Lives!

The ANC Leads!