Congress could be ‘unlawful’
DISGRUNTLED ANC Free State members have threatened that the party’s upcoming national elective conference is in danger of being declared unlawful and its outcomes successfully challenged in court.
Tebogo Bozo, ANC deputy branch secretary in ward 8 in Mangaung, on behalf of over two dozen branches, has filed an affidavit in the Free State High Court, in which he detailed the alleged irregularities in the holding of branch general meetings (BGMs) ahead of the provincial general council and the provincial congress, which ended yesterday.
“As a result, the provincial conference and its outcomes must be nullified before the national conference is held. Otherwise there will exist a real and foreseeable danger that the national conference will be rendered unlawful and its outcomes, subsequently, successfully challenged,” said the members.
Bozo and three other ANC members in the Free State – Matshepo Ramakatsa, Pinky Cuze and Khehla Mosikidi – warned that it may happen that any poll at the national conference is decided by a narrow margin of a handful of votes less than the number of bogus delegates.
Bozo, Ramakatsa, Cuze and Mosikidi want this week’s conference that re-elected provincial chairperson Ace Magashule and the provincial executive committee (PEC) to be declared null and void, unlawful and unconstitutional.
They also want last month’s provincial general council (PGC) that endorsed ANC national executive committee member Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma as President Jacob Zuma’s successor unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid including decisions taken and resolutions passed.
The unhappy quartet has also asked the court to interdict the ANC from “allowing and/ or sanctioning the attendance and/or participation as voting delegates or of any branch delegates from the Free State at the 54th ANC national conference”.
Alternatively, they want delegates elected or selected at unlawful BGMs barred from attending the national conference, which is scheduled to start on Saturday in Nasrec.
“Interdicting any members of the (previous and/or new) PEC from attending and/or participating in the 54th ANC national conference as voting delegates,” the members have pleaded with the high court, which will hear the matter tomorrow.
According to Bozo’s affidavit, Energy Minister David Mahlobo and ANC provincial secretary William Bulwane approached two delegates Ndoyisile Fubu and Mbulelo Jafta, who had been sidelined by a breakaway group that was invited to participate in the provincial conference.
Fubu and Jafta said they were asked by Bulwane and Mahlobo to sign an agreement that would allow them to share leadership of their branch with the breakaway group and participate in the provincial conference but they refused and were prevented from participating.
“The occurrence of (the) same is a frightening example of the extent that members of the PEC will go to, to prevent delegates in support of CR17 (Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidential campaign) from attending the provincial and national conferences,” reads Bozo’s affidavit.
Fearing possible outcomes of tomorrow’s case, the ANC delegation from the national executive committee – Mahlobo – resolved on demarcating conference plenary separating delegates from the 28 branches.