African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday said that the governing party had successfully held its three-day National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting without any issues or mooted possible walkouts.

At the meeting, attended by former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, Ramaphosa said leaders should desist from making public statements that were at odds with ANC decisions and that were likely to divide the movement.

The NEC discussed the impact of the coronavirus but noted that the economy was recovering following the implementation of recovery plans and measures undertaken by government.

Ramaphosa said the NEC had reaffirmed that it was in support of the government’s stimulus recovery plan.

“We are going to be focusing on water, public transport, job creation and strengthening the small and medium-sized enterprise sector.”

He said youth, women and people with disability would be supported.

While he welcomed the measures being taken to contain the outbreak, he said there were grave concerns about the increase in infections and the increase in the number of deaths related to Covid-19.

Ramaphosa called on South Africans to change its mindset in an effort to prevent a second wave of the virus.

He asked all related structures, including the media, to appeal to all South Africans to avoid parties and large crowds and to restrict large family gatherings, this festive season, so as to protect the elderly.

The ANC acknowledged the need for the African continent to manufacture its own vaccines to fight the pandemic and the State-owned pharmaceutical company was urged to work with other countries.

On gender-based violence, the ANC has taken a stance that urges the party and alliance partners to mobilise within communities to fight the scourge. 

“As the ANC we must take a zero tolerance approach towards violence against women and children,” Ramaphosa said,

Workshops on patriarchy, gender equality and gender sensitivity will roll out in 2021 in every level of the ANC, as well as in the youth and women’s leagues.

Ramaphosa took a firm stance on corruption and added that there would be no dilution of prevailing efforts to root out corruption in the party.

He said that was fundamental to the renewal of the party.

The NEC also welcomed the summonsing of ANC secretary general Ace Magashule to present himself to the party’s integrity commission on December 12.