SANCO PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR 2010

1. Introduction

The South African National Civic Organisation held its successful national conference

in Durban 2008. Immediately after the conference the leadership was hit by a challenge of the resignation of Cde Mcebisi Mike Msizi, whom we had to replaced as General Secretary. Since the election of the replacement official, we are making some serious progress.

The intension of this input is to assign responsibilities for our structures to embrace on the campaigns that will assist in building the organisation.

As we do that, we will not shy away from identifying areas of our weaknesses and suggesting improvements.

2. Administrative Matters

We can confidently say that since the replacement we have mentioned above progress in the secretariat is evident.

Whilst we cannot deny some challenges in this department we are able to present and represent the organisation appropriately.

The following issues need to be attended to before the end March 2010.

(a) National Banking Account

The Treasurer General is prioritising this area to ensure that we have a bank account, which is a prerequisite for many of our activities as an organisation. As we report here we have a banking account now.

(b) Membership system

The organisation of SANCO depends on a credible membership system for its good image. The period in which our structures lacked guidance, during 2004 to 2008, has resulted in provinces implementing different membership systems. Because some systems were implemented unconstitutionally, we saw the emergence of parallel membership systems in certain provinces. There is a need of protracted drive to unite our membership. That our membership system in now unitary we need to enhance that resolution so that we safe the organisation from membership related problem. The membership will be launched immediately after the strategic planning session.

All provinces need to transfer their members to the new membership system before March 2010. During this period, new members need to be recruited to ensure that all our branches have followed the constitutional imperative of 100 members or more per branch. Since the membership fee has not been changed respective leadership in various structures should ensure that all members should pay R10.00 per year. Members should be encouraged to join for multi-year period like 5 years. This will reduce time spent on renewal activities annually.

(c) SANCO website

During the last years of the 2001 leadership, a website was created. Although it was not a complicated website, it provided the platform to communicate to the media and our membership. This account was suspended in 2007 due to non payment. As a national organisation, we need to activate this website, with improved features. The national spokesperson need to ensure that we activate this website before the end of January 2010. We need to start with seven accounts to ensure the office bearers are connected. Office bearers should contribute monthly for the cost until sufficient funding has been raised. The Treasurer General shall take over the payment of this account on the 1^st of April 2010.Cernsorship will be necessary on material to be posted and prioritisation in case of space or memory shortage. The General Secretary shall ensure the running of the website and develop operational guidelines and procedures.

(d) Office space and administration staff.

Numerous discussions and proposals have been made on office accommodation. The General Secretary needs to bring this aspect to finality before end of January 2010. This matter prohibits volunteerism by our members in the office to assist with administration. The secretariat should ensure that all paperwork to secure office accommodation is concluded successfully.

Where possible, the Treasurer General shall ensure that necessary funds are available for payments.

(e) A policy unit desk is necessary to ensure that we respond to legislative work in legislature and parliament. We need to formalise this service as our impact is currently lacking on parliamentary bills.

3. Reclaiming our space

 Our lack of taking up strategic campaigns and programmes has created space for sector and opportunistic NGOs to take our space.

Organisations like Cosatu; SACP; SACO, landless people, TAC etc. are exploiting our inactivity in areas of our responsibility, and are doing what we suppose to do. We need to reclaim our space as the vanguard of the communities. We are the only organisation that stands to represent the communities at all facets of service delivery and

welfare. Our members should not underestimate the extent to which this in activity is dealing with our image. It will take time to undo this as some NGOs will refuse to vacate the space. There will be a fierce contestation in some constituencies.

We must either cooperate or compete with these organisations on community programme if we are to reclaim our space. The above activities should consume our 2010 calendar year.

Progress on these matters should be reported in our next National General Council or Special General Council, whichever occur first. The national leadership should also ensure our participation at alliance forums. Over and above this, we should explore collaboration with civic associations in SADC. A continental desk is necessary for coordination of this work.

At sub-national level, our provinces should be seized with clear bread and butter related programmes. Let us make 2010 a vibrant year for SANCO activism. Although 2010 will see the launching of branches, regions and provinces, many of our activities should not be derailed by conferences. We need to set up structures to co- ordinate programmes (campaign’s committee). These committees should be set up in a manner that they are immune from leadership contestations that will arise during 2010.

Programmes

The core programmes that should be taken with vigour as 2010 kicks in are the following

but not limited to:

(a) January – March 2010

1. School reopening programme where our leadership at different levels will participate in planned visits to schools. Our secretaries at provincial and regional level should coordinate and deploy leadership to these activities. They should also ensure that these programmes are reported to the General Secretary.

Regional and provincial secretaries should compile reports on the visits undertaken in their areas of jurisdiction.

The reports should include matters related to :

• Registration.

• School nutrition scheme.

• Scholar transport.

• Stationery.

• School play grounds (sports facilities).

• School governance structures.

• Adequacy of school infrastructure.

2. Mobilisation and assistance of school leavers.

Our structures should provide a link of these learners with:

• Learnership programmes.

• Expanded public works programmes.

• Private training opportunities.

• Community work.

• Facilitate access to higher learning institutions.

3. Establishment of street committees.

Our structures should engage our alliance partners to participate in the establishment of these committees. We are the leaders on this activity. We should not allow anybody to hamper progress on this matter. Our regional leadership should ensure that the station commander in the area is informed and involved to ensure the success of this project. We should make serious progress by the end of April 2010. National leadership will engage the minister of police on possible funding. The system of community policing forums, needs to be reviewed.

4. Mobilisation of our leadership structures to embark on a visit to our health centres including home based care centres. This activity should include visits to early childhood learning centres as they cater for vulnerable children. Provincial leadership in consultation with the regional leadership should prepare a clear programme on this matter. Reports on findings should be analysed and responded to for intervention where necessary.

These visits should be able to establish:

• • The level of service rendered.

  • Severity of diseases in the respective areas.

  • Impact of HIV/AIDS in the area.

  • Extent of early childhood learning requirements.

  • State of our health centres.

  • Human resources requirements.

  • Skills requirements to render acceptable services

  • Functioning of governance structures.

  • Security risk at health centres.

5. Mobilisation of taxi associations within the sub regions and regions. Our regional structures should engage all taxi and bus associations, firstly on bilateral basis. These meetings should establish the needs and extent of the association operations in the area. We should establish working relations with each association and even at regional level so that we are able to intervene during times if conflict. At certain towns taxis and buses may be incorporated into Bus Rapid Transit Systems of public transport. These processes are contentious and need serious facilitation. If we create good relations in time will assist us to provide leadership on these matters when they unfold. Our structures should be forewarned that this industry is still dangerous and a high level of transparency and fairness will be required to earn respect.

There are also opportunities for cooperatives in this sector that we will promote. The taxi industry can be made lucrative with some few initiatives to transform some into fully fledged business people. We need to sustain relations with the taxi associations in the area. These opportunities will be explored during engagements. National leadership will provide necessary detailed proposals on this matter.

(b) April – June 2010

1. Our provincial structures should embark on branch launching and induction of all our structures at sub provincial level. We need to ensure that we hold credible branch and regional conferences. It is important that NEC deployees in the provinces shall not be deployed to conferences in the province they are deployed. They will be required to give independent assessment report on processes within their province of deployment. Similar position should be taken with PEC deployees in regions. Our objective should be to have credible structures that will be able to take the organisation to higher levels. Those deployed to branches, regions and provinces for conferences purposes, shall be deployed at least three weeks before conference take place. This will enable the deployees to confirm the readiness and assist in preparations. Any structure that fails to hold a successful conference twice shall be disbanded and the higher structure shall take over and constitute an interim structure for a maximum of three months.

The deployees shall ensure that induction is carried efficiently. The induction shall cover the history of SANCO, its constitution, relations with the ANC and our objectives and role in society. Deployees are urged to be fully prepared as majority of our members will confuse our roles with that of our alliance partners. Our independence should be clarified to our members. Our membership will be managed in terms of our own constitution. Our members should be encouraged to join the African National Congress.

2. This period should also provide space for the regional and provincial structures to consider, review and report on the activities of the first quarter (Jan-March 2010).

When these reports are considered and reviewed. Further programmes must be developed to respond to issues found during the quarter. The reports to higher structures should also include further programmes required to respond to those challenges.

3. We need to participate in the mobilisation of our communities for the 2010 soccer world cup games. There will be a need for maximum security at public viewing and fan parks. Our greater involvement and mobilisation of public transport to carry spectators to and from will be required. Let us ensure that we volunteer our services for the successful world cup. Engagement with the hosting cities will be necessary. Provincial leaders should provide leadership and guidance.

1. July – September 2010

(i) This period will be seized with processes of the ANC preparations for 2011 local government elections. As we do not contest elections on our own, as an organisation we need to be readily available to participate in the ANC activities. These readiness means that our members should be members of the ANC in good standing when this period arrives. Our members should ensure full participation in the ANC list process. Branches, regions and provinces should ensure that the interest of SANCO to have senior, popular, respectable and committed ward councillor candidates are nominated. This is necessary to defend the ANC as our movement at local government level.

(ii) We should start all the processes necessary for the handling of local government elections. We need to identify volunteers for intense participation as campaigners and party agents. Intense training shall be conducted on these volunteers to ensure that they can assist the ANC process to fight the more difficult elections of 2011. We will need to establish volunteer groups at ward level, regional level and provincial level. These groups should be functional by the end of September 2010.

(iii) This period shall also be seized with provincial conferences across the country. Our structures should ensure that our provincial conferences do not derail the ANC list process. It will assist the process if our provincial conferences are earmarked for the July 2010 month, to release the August and September months for the list process. Provinces are therefore urged to plan their conference preparations properly to ensure successful conferences at first attempt.

4. Provincial and regional structures should continue to make follow up on programmes undertaken since January 2010. Reporting in 2010 shall be the crucial aspect of activism. All our secretaries should demand reports and then report to the higher structures without fail. No structure should claim no activity in any month. We should warn our structures that leadership will make un announced visits on matters reported to verify and intervene. Reports littered with lies and misrepresentation of facts should be avoided. Good reports without content and substance are not welcomed. Where possible, reporting templates should be developed by the secretariat to ensure uniformity of reporting.

(d) October – December 2010

1. Our national organiser shall ensure continuous mobilisation of our membership for both organisational development and preparations for the 2011 local government elections. This mobilisation should also happen at voting district level. The volunteers spoken about herein above should be deployed as mobilising champions at voting district level with regular meetings as will be determined by the regional leadership. Integration of this work with ANC process is crucial.

2. This process will be the start of the ANC processes towards the 2011 local government elections. Much of the work of SANCO leadership will be the integration and adaptation of our activities. This process should not undermine our own activities as an independent organisation. Only an activist SANCO will reclaim its rightful place within the community. Our leadership should strive to prioritise SANCO activities to any other activities where possible. For success of this guide, consultation with leadership will be the order of the day.

4. Conclusion

We may not have found ourselves as an organisation in this situation before. We may not have engaged ourselves as an organisation in intensive and extensive involved programme before. We may not have engaged ourselves as an organisation in a struggle to reclaim our space from sector and opportunistic establishments.

The programme laid out herein above, is indicative of an organisation that is seeking its soul and space. As indicated elsewhere, it is going to be a tough battle for these sector and opportunistic establishment to be dislodged. Only clinical and precise implementation and responsive decision making will see us through this battle.

Comrades are therefore, called upon to commit themselves to the successful implementation of this programme. Responsive innovation and tactical acumen of our leadership will time and again, be called upon to steer our programme. Your readiness is key. Once again, Reporting and re-reporting shall be the order of the day, Forward with the revolutionary African social movement.

Mayihlome Ihlasele.

Drafted by
The NOB