Ending poverty is ANC's central task - Mbeki

from The Independent On Line

Poverty eradication was the African National Congress' (ANC) central task in the run-up to the 2012 general election, President Thabo Mbeki said on Saturday.

Mbeki said this should be the main objective of all ANC leaders, from national to local government, as well as community organisations. Mbeki was addressing high-profile ANC members and thousands of supporters at the ANC's 95th birthday celebrations at the Alantic stadium in Witbank.

"Our central task during this phase of the National Democratic Revolution is to liberate our people from the scourge of poverty in all its manifestos, and eliminate all its offshoots," he said. Mbeki was reading from the party's National Executive Committee statement which is published at the beginning of each year to outline the party's tasks in the year ahead.

During his speech he also called for unity within the ANC and its alliance partners.

"As a leader of the national democratic revolution, our movement must ensure that it remains united around its strategy and tactics, its culture and conventions, and the programmes agreed by our constitutional structures and further elaborated by our government."

This was one of the "strategic considerations" to inform all ANC actions this year, Mbeki said.

He also called on state enterprises like Eskom and Transnet to carry out plans that would see more investment in the country.

Although the ANC government has achieved progress in the past 12 years, Mbeki said more still needed be done.

In 2007, the government would work hard on job creation and education at all levels. This would see government increasing the number of schools which will be exempted from paying school fees.

Mbeki received warm applause when he said the bucket system rife in many informal settlements would be eradicated by the end of 2007.

More pressing issues like HIV and Aids and crime were also mentioned.

He said safety and security was one of the main tasks of a democratic revolution.

After Mbeki's speech a cake was brought on stage.

As leaders on stage celebrated, ANC Deputy President Jacob Zuma wished: "May the ANC rule till you know when...".

He was loudly cheered by supporters.