Ramaphosa postpones NGC, ANC party conferences
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the African National Congress (ANC) has postponed all its conferences, including its much-anticipated national general council, which was scheduled to be held in June.
The ANC ‘Top Six’ addressed the media on the party's approach to the coronavirus in Tshwane on Monday.
The address came after an extended National Working Committee which took place earlier in the day.
All branch, regional and provincial conferences had been postponed after cabinet prohibited any gatherings of more than 100 people in efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
"One of the important things you want to know is that all the conferences - including the NGC - is also postponed until further notice.
"So provincial conferences, regional conferences, the national general council, conferences of the youth league, conferences of our provinces and indeed the women's league, they are all postponed until further notice," Ramaphosa says.
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Ramaphosa also noted that the mandate of provincial and regional party task teams, in charge of ensuring the party went to the conference, would be extended for three months.
"The NWC has accepted that all those should be suspended. Those structures that were going to have to hold those manifestations in forms of conferences because of the time frame they had been given will be extended by three months.
"And we will review the situation after the three month period."
Ramaphosa says the ANC would embark on its reliable door-to-door method to bring about awareness of the virus.
"If there ever was a time for the ANC to start working, this is the time. We are now called upon to lead society, particularly in mobilising the public to understand the impact of the coronavirus, and to change the behaviour of people to be more resolute about hygiene," Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa will also be meeting with religious leaders at the Union buildings.
"So they can get a full presentation on the virus and have a discussion on how we address this. Particularly as we are moving towards important moments of manifestations like Easter and what have you."
Meetings with political parties will also be held on how to contain the pandemic.