49th National Conference of the African National Congress

The following were elected to the ANC "Top Six" leadership positions at the conference: • President: Nelson Mandela • Deputy President: Thabo Mbeki • Secretary General: Cyril Ramaphosa • Deputy Secretary General: Cheryl Carolus • National Chairperson: Jacob Zuma • Treasurer General: Arnold Stofile In an electoral contest over the office of National Chairperson, Jacob Zuma, the outgoing Deputy Secretary General, won comfortably against cabinet Ministers Pallo Jordan and Jeff Radebe. The results of the vote were as follows: There was also initially a contest for the position of Treasurer General, but Arnold Stofile was elected unopposed after Henry Makgothi and Sam Motsuenyane withdrew their candidacy. The Mail & Guardian reported that Mandela had backed Motsuenyane, and some had viewed Makgothi as the frontrunner. == National Executive Committee elections ==

The National Executive Committee was also elected at the conference. Of the 60 members ultimately elected, the following received the most votes: • Bantu Holomisa (1,915 votes) • Pallo Jordan (1,879 votes) • Peter Mokaba (1,824 votes) • Mac Maharaj (1,818 votes) • Winnie Mandela (1,802 votes) • Sydney Mufamadi (1,769 votes) • Terror Lekota (1,732 votes) • Valli Moosa (1,725 votes) • Harry Gwala (1,685 votes) • Dullah Omar (1,680 votes) • Ronnie Kasrils (1,677 votes) • Steve Tshwete (1,663 votes) • Joe Slovo (1,651 votes) • Tito Mboweni (1,640 votes) • Ahmed Kathrada (1,601 votes) • Jeff Radebe (1,596 votes) • Trevor Manuel (1,594 votes) • Nkosazana Zuma (1,557 votes) • Kader Asmal (1,503 votes) • Carl Niehaus (1,488 votes) Some anti-apartheid stalwarts dropped off the NEC, either because they did not seek re-election or because they had been appointed to state offices which precluded them from party leadership. These included Andrew Mlangeni, Albertina Sisulu, Albie Sachs and John Nkadimeng. Notably, the top-ranked candidate, Holomisa, was a new addition to the NEC. == Resolutions ==

The conference passed motions for the urgent transformation of the South African state, with particular attention given to the civil service, judiciary system, media and policing. It also reaffirmed several central party and government policies, including the 1992 Ready to Govern policy, the 1994 Reconstruction and Development Programme, and the Health Plan on national health insurance. Perhaps the greatest undertaking of the conference was a set of wide-ranging amendments to the ANC constitution, including a substantial restructuring of the organisation to adapt to the post-apartheid era. For example, the fourteen regional branches represented in the party were reconstituted as nine provincial branches, each with their own subregions and branches. The conference resolved to increase the size of the NEC to 66 members (including the Top Six), and also to reduce the size of the National Working Committee to the Top Six and no more than a quarter of the elected NEC members. It also committed in principle to ensuring adequate representation of women in decision-making structures, and resolved to consider gender quotas (which were later implemented). ==References==