Free State ANC conference hits problems
FEAR gripped the Free State ANC top brass after questions about the legality of the party’s provincial elective conference (PEC) became clear, forcing the leaders to abandon proceedings for almost the whole day to discuss a court action.
The PEC is at loggerheads with some of its structures over the alleged flouting of processes in the convening of branch general meetings in recent months.
Last month, disgruntled members from 29 branches blocked the conference from going ahead after they successfully approached the Free State High Court to declare their branch meetings in the lead up to the conference as illegal.
The ANC was ordered to first convene all 29 branches in compliance with the party’s constitution before it held the two-day conference on Sunday.
It emerged yesterday that about 32% of the party’s branches in good standing were not part of the provincial conference and that the disgruntled members were launching a court bid to block the conference from continuing and the Free State’s participation in the upcoming national elective conference.
Provincial ANC chairperson Ace Magashule is leading a dominant grouping in the province which backs presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, while his deputy Thabo Manyoni is leading a grouping aligned to deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa ahead of the conference.
Yesterday, ANC Free State spokesperson Thabo Meeko said while the provincial leadership resolved to go ahead with the conference, they were sensitive to the litigation against them by some from within the party, which is why conference proceedings were delayed.
“We also have to deal with these other issues of the court as you know them,” Meeko said.
He lashed out at those who interdicted the party over processes to convene the much anticipated national conference.
“Ultimately people have got to internalize the fact that there must be outcomes of the democratic process.
“We have done everything in as far as we are concerned so that the Free State ANC must be able to attend the national conference.
“At the same time the ANC must be able to conduct and conclude its business. It can never be a never-ending process,” he said.
By 5.30pm yesterday there were no signs of the second day of the conference continuing as delegates were scattered in groups outside the conference venue.
While messages of support had been read by alliance partners and a political report delivered by Magashule on Sunday night, no credentials had been adopted by the elective congress as provincial leaders were locked in a meeting with a delegation from the national executive committee over the permutations of the court challenge, which is likely to be heard on Thursday.
Manyoni boycotted the conference, triggering criticism and accusation of ill-discipline from Magashule during his political report on Sunday night.
“That is not the leadership we want for the ANC.
“We want a respectful leadership, a disciplined leadership that can talk to people,” Magashule said.
He was accused of not indicating why he was not present at the conference.
‘We also have to deal with these other issues of the court as you know them’