The African National Congress hosted it's NEC Virtual Lekgotla from the 22 to 24 Janaury 2021. Some of the key resolutions that were adopted by the NEC lekgotla, mainly centre on economic development. Among the main resolutions, the NEC lekgotla resolved that the needs to be more effective use of the Industrial Development Zones such as the ports of Saldhana in the Western Cape and the port of coega in the Eastern Cape, which should be the main drivers towards the creation of black industrialists. 

On Sunday Evening President Cyril Ramaphosa  made closing remarks at the end of the two-day ANC NEC Lekgotla 

In Closing the Lekgotla President Ramaphosa said : 

“As this Lekgotla draws to a close, we are reminded of the difficult and painful times through which we are living,” he said. “Earlier today, we bid farewell to one of our most beloved NEC members, Cde Jackson Mthembu. Yesterday, we heard with deep sadness of the passing of Jonas Gwanga, a revolutionary cultural icon. As we mourn their passing, we remember all those within our movement and society who have lost their lives.”

He also paid tribute to the health workers and other frontline workers who are working tirelessly to care for the people of South Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This Lekgotla was “one of the most critical” that the ANC has held in recent times, Ramaphosa added.

“Many people are looking to this Lekgotla to provide direction on the actions we must now take to overcome COVID-19 and to rebuild our economy and our society.

“This imperative is evident in the way that comrades have approached the discussions in this lekgotla, focusing in particular on what needs to be done, by whom, by when and with what resources. There is a clear appreciation of the urgency of implementation, given the dire state of our economy and high levels of poverty, inequality and unemployment among our people.”

Ramaphosa said that the Lekgotla has placed the defeat of COVID-19 as its overriding and most pressing responsibility for 2021, “which requires both an intensive vaccination programme alongside the intensification of prevention measures, increased screening and testing and the further strengthening of our health system.”

He added that it was necessary to build broad acceptance among the people of the vaccine programme and to vigorously tackle misinformation and misunderstanding. “To do this, we must ourselves be disciplined in our own public pronouncements, ensuring that we speak accurately and clearly.”

Click Here to read the full speech