Mantashe: Give NEC space to deal with ANC problems
The chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) Gwede Mantashe has pleaded with South Africans to give the new National Executive Committee (NEC) space to deal with the issues facing the party.
He was speaking at the commemoration of the life of former South African Communist Party leader Joe Slovo in Soweto.
The ANC elected a new leadership and NEC at its national conference in December.
"Once you shout at it (the ANC) it closes its ranks. It switches off, it stops listening. And I want to appeal comrade that, please, give this new NEC an opportunity to deal with the challenges facing the ANC."
Mantashe says the ANC won't be able to solve its problems by merely electing new leadership.
"We are not going to rectify our situation and our sins unless we appreciate the fact that we must undertake a rectification programme. It is easy to say there is a new leadership so now the ANC must do this. It's not as simple as that. It is about having that new leadership as part of a broader programme of rectification.
"But if you are going to put that leadership and expect it to be messiahs you are putting that leadership up for failure."