Hiccups may mar ANC Western Cape elective conference

PREPARATIONS are under way for the ANC Western Cape provincial congress, but dwindling support in the middle-class coloured communities and lack of resources have set the party back.

Added to this, there are some regions that have not yet started their auditing process.

Faiez Jacobs, the ANC’s provincial secretary, said their targets have been set and focus areas have been marked.

“But resources remain a problem for the party. We have seen a few of our volunteers coming back since the renewal process the party has undergone,” Jacobs said.

He said the target was to grow support in the informal settlements, canvass back yard dwellers, and the youth.

“We believe this will make our branches stronger. Currently there are membership issues in some regions, but we are attending to that in the coming weeks to ensure that everything is in place before the provincial general council,” he said.

Neville Delpoort, the West Coast regional secretary, said they were ready to have regional congresses as many of their auditing processes had been completed.

“Currently there are no outstanding matters that need to be dealt with in our region. We are planning the regional conference for mid-April. The branch audits and all the other outstanding matters were dealt with last year. We are now just waiting on the nomination process which has not yet started,” he said.

Boland regional leader Pat Marran said they had not started a single process.

“We have not started with branch auditing and it is delayed as well. Our road map says that we have to get it done by May, but I do understand that out PGC is set for the same month. There is currently a pre-audit to establish where the challenges might be,” he said.

Khaya Yozi, Dullah Omar region, said the region was busy with branch pre-audits.

“The pre-audits are done to prevent any problems that may arise in branches. Most of our branches are sorted, but there are still challenges in predominantly coloured communities with support. There will be support in areas like Elsiesrivier, but the support won’t be as big as in for example Khayelitsha,” he said.

The names of the ANC’s members of the provincial legislature Cameron Dugmore and Richard Dyanti, as well as Deputy Police Minister Bongani Mkongi, have been unofficially nominated to contest for the provincial leadership.

Hishaam Mohamed, head of justice and constitutional development in the province, said he would be in the running.

Khaya Magaxa, the acting ANC Western Cape chairperson, said he wanted to step down to focus on his role as SA Communist Party provincial secretary.

The conference is set to take place in May.

ANC CONCERNED WITH DWINDLING SUPPORT IN THE COLOURED COMMUNITIES