Gigaba: We are all forces of change
Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba sat down with City Press’s senior political reporter Carien du Plessis to discuss the final sprint to Mangaung, his distaste for slates and what comes after next month’s elective conference
We have a few weeks to go to Mangaung. Do you think the process is going well?
Yes. There are hiccups here and there but the ANC’s democratic process is strong because the organisation is big.
A bigger challenge is for us to ensure that the nominations process is not tainted.
The integrity of the nominations and the election outcome must be preserved so that nobody complains after
the conference – “I was not allowed to exercise my rights, I was intimidated.”
There are instances where such have happened, like in the North West. One member shot another because of the elections.
Many branches have ignored slates (lists of the ANC’s top six) when nominating.
Do you think slates are dead?
We need to destroy the slates. These pervert the ANC’s democratic processes and principles. But it needs a conscious effort on our part.
The compilers of the slate do not tolerate dissent. Once you are part of a slate, you can’t act outside it, no matter how wrong you actually believe that is.
But you are subject now, you are beholden to it and can’t tell them they are wrong, otherwise they will throw you out and replace you with a sheep-like candidate.
What do you make of those who say they want change in the ANC?
This notion that there could be anyone calling themselves forces of change is a fallacy. There is nobody who does not stand for change in the ANC.
There is nobody who stands for fossilised ideas, but there is nobody in the ANC who can say “I stand for complete change”.
Maybe in 1994 that was true, but in 2012 we need a proper balance between change and continuity.
The ANC must build on its 100 years of existence and begin to cast its sight into the next 100 years and envision South Africa as we would like our children to see it.
Are we talking about change of leaders or policy?
When I talk about change I do not only talk about leaders, because that is superficial, narrow-minded, short-termist and opportunistic.
Change must have nothing to do with just changing of whose bums are going to occupy these (the ANC top six) seats. Change must be about how must we take South Africa forward and about policy.
Some branches have nominated you, will you accept?
If and when I’m asked I will respond. I believe I have an important role to play in this (public enterprises) department.
By this I’m not saying the president cannot redeploy me, but I’m saying that while I am at public enterprises I’d like to see the completion of my work.
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