Johannesburg - Members of the African National Congress (ANC) Veterans League have thrown their weight behind the ruling party in its quest to for victory in the upcoming elections.
"Today, we the veterans league, and the senior citizens of the province of the North West commit ourselves to totally immerse ourselves in the last push of the ANC election campaign to ensure that we secure a resounding and overwhelming victory on the 8 May 2019 national elections," said the veterans in a statement issued after they met in Rustenburg in the North West on Monday.
The meeting was attended by members of the ANC Veterans League and senior citizens representing the four regions of the North West that included; Ngaka Modiri Molema, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, Dr Ruth S Mompati and Bojanala.
"We met in the names of Dick Montshiwa, Moses Kotane, JB Marks, Dr. Modiri Molema, Kgosi Ramotshere Moiloa, Luthuli Detachment, Philemon Mathole, Steve Segale, Victor Sefora and Job Shimankane Tabane (Cassius Maake)," said the statement.
"For many years we were playing an active and critical role towards the liberation of our country in the four pillars of struggle which are mass mobilisation, underground work, military operations under Umkhonto we Sizwe and the international isolation of apartheid.
"We are assembled here today to deliberate on how to re-enforce the mother body, the ANC, and how to ensure that we win the forth coming elections on May 8, 2019. We reaffirm and commit ourselves that we shall not spare any strength nor effort in ensuring a resounding victory of the ANC."
The meeting also discussed the calibre of the candidates on the ANC list - both provincially and at national level.
Those present called on ANC members implicated in fraud and corruption such as the VBS scandals, money laundering and racketeering, to step aside "for the sake" of the party.
The veterans also implored President Cyril Ramaphosa to apply his mind carefully on who the next premier of the North West province should be.
"We propose that he uses the criteria of integrity, honesty and compassion for the poor and marginalised people of the province," said the statement issued by the veterans who also backed the vetting of the list of candidates by the ANC's integrity committee.
African News Agency/ANA
