Statement

The ANC Veterans’ League is pleased to announce the election of the Gauteng PEC at its Provincial Conference, representing 1 695 members and 36 branches covering the whole of the Gauteng Province, from the 12th to 13th December 2025. The elected Office Bearers of the 20 member PEC are comrades Firoz Cachalia (Chairperson), Shadow Mahlong (Deputy Chairperson), Ruth Lungu (Secretary), Tilly Ntlatlane (Deputy Secretary) and Hanief Ebrahim (Treasurer).

The Conference, attended by approximately 300 delegates, took place immediately after the ANC National General Council and the new Provincial Chairperson emphasised unity and commitment to renewal of the ANC, fighting corruption, and a of restoration of the ANC’s values.

Both the ANC Veterans’ League President, comrade Snuki Zikalala, and Secretary General, comrade Ilva Mackay Langa addressed the Provincial Conference, reporting back on the National General Council outcome and the importance of working towards a decisive ANC victory in the Local government elections in 2026.

In its preparation for the National General Council, the Veterans’ League took the view that to address the current conjuncture and existential crisis facing the ANC, cautious reform and half-hearted measures would be insufficient and that a profound and decisive transformation of the country and the ANC is required. In all the commissions the Veterans’ Leagues delegation argued that the ANC needs to go back to the basics, work on the ground and focus on sectoral issues and campaigns to reconnect to our people; that uniting all South African behind the progressive ideals of the Constitution and renewal of the ANC is paramount.

We are pleased that the National General Council applied its mind and will further refine the specific proposals of the Veterans’ League, together with the proposals emanating from the Women’s League,

Youth League and Provinces.

The commitment to continuous political education and prioritisation of the quality of membership including the responsibility of every members to participate actively in their communities, workplaces and civil society organisations was overwhelmingly supported.The National General Council supported stronger measures to ensure ethical leadership, and we welcome the immediate action taken against the two ANC public representatives caught soliciting a bribe, in line with the view taken by the National General Council amounting to zero tolerance for corrupt, unethical and immoral conduct.

Ethical leadership goes hand-in-hand with ensuring clean elections within the ANC. This will ensure that the best, most skilled, honest, and ideologically committed members are selected to be leaders in the ANC and as public representatives – without any cheating, bribery and fraud, and with all members participating in the voting process.

These are prerequisites for renewal of the ANC, restoration of public confidence in the ANC and a decisive victory in the 2026 Local Government Elections We are reinvigorated and as we end this 70th Anniversary Year of the Adoption of the Freedom Charter, which is embodied in the Constitution of the country we will will indeed spare no effort in tirelessly pursuing a national democratic society based on social justice, share prosperity and human solidarity.

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