The planned meeting between the African National Congress (ANC) and its stalwarts is being described as a step in the right direction to finding a common ground in moving the party forward.
The ANC's National Working Committee (NWC) has met with the veterans and stalwarts on two occasions where the latter raised concerns which they believed the mother body had to address. The points of those meetings were then taken to the National Executive Committee for further deliberations.
At least 101 veterans of the movement including Ahmed Kathrada, Denis Goldberg, Cheryl Caroulus, Frank Chikane, Frenie Ginwala, Sphiwe Nyanda and Fazel Randera have grouped themselves under the banner of "For the sake of our future". They have expressed concern about the future of the party and the country.
Randera told The Huffington Post South Africa on Sunday that their meetings with the leaders of the ANC were entering the final stages.
"We are now getting into the serious discussions around these areas that have been agreed to by the NEC, the national consultative conference, the issue of how we work towards a veteran's conference and the establishment of an executive for the veteran's league at the national level," he said.
The group has been very vocal regarding what they viewed as "ills that have befallen the organisation". The veterans believe they can contribute meaningfully to the rebuilding and reshaping of the party while returning it to its original course moving forward.
During the ANC's NEC meeting last week, a motion of no confidence was tabled against Zuma by some members.
Randera said members viewed the ongoing dialogue as a positive move which will afford them the opportunity to find common ground with the party.
"There is also that very important fourth area that was agreed to that a discussion has to take place around the political organisational programme that we are being invited to participate in and we all have to get a view and an agreement. The meeting is really looking into those areas and how do we move forward in each of those areas," he said.
This is the third time the veterans will meet with ANC leaders. In November, they met outside Pretoria, when poet Walley Serote explained that the veterans wanted to see change in the leadership of the party, with some expressing discontent with President Jacob Zuma's leadership. Zuma was called in front of the integrity committee to have a meeting over organisational issues and other problems facing the party. Watch the video below.