ANC extends meeting deadline

This will be final date to ‘ensure full participation’

EASTERN Cape ANC bosses have resolved to extend the deadline for branch general meetings (BGMs) to September 10 “for the very last time” in an effort to have 100% participation at provincial conference set for end of the month.

The decision was taken at a provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting at Calata House on Sunday where issues regarding the progress made in the provincial conference roadmap were ventilated including the approximately 90 branches across the eight ANC regions that were yet to successfully convene BGMs.

Branches will elect a new PEC from September 28-30 in East London. The verification process which is under way will reveal whether the 70% threshold required to go to a conference has already been achieved or not.

But the PEC said it extended the deadline so as to give those branches who have yet to convene successful the the BGMs a chance to do so.

Provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said the PEC also res the much-anticipated conference will not be postponed again. More than 630 ANC branches were cleared to be in good standing to convene BGMs, with majority of those coming from OR Tambo, which still leads in terms of membership number and conference delegates, while Sarah Baartman region will send the least number of delegates to the conference.

About 1 500 branch delegates are expected to attend the conference, including PEC directly elected and ex-officio members who serve in the structure by virtue of being regional chairpersons and secretaries.

The deadline for BGM was first set at August 6 but then extended to August 20 before it was again extended to end of August and now September 10. The extensions were as a result of factional battles, physical fights at BGMs and branches not having the right quorum.

But Mabuyane said the PEC felt that branches had been granted more than enough time to get their houses in order and conclude this phase of conference preparation.

Mabuyane said those branches who failed to meet the latest deadline to convene their BGMs, would unfortunately have to watch the conference proceedings from the sidelines.

“We are now awaiting the verification process and as soon as it confirms that indeed the 70% threshold has been surpassed and SG [Gwede Mantashe] is able to put his signature on that verification report, then there will be nothing that can stop the conference from going ahead as planned,” Mabuyane said. Mabuyane said with regards to appeals, the PEC had expressed concern over “mobilised appeals” as against the guidelines that had been agreed upon such as the 48-hour window within which a member is allowed to dispute a BGM.

Those were apparently being flouted through the so called mobilisation of appeals.

“The guidelines are crucial because they are litigious, a member can take the party to court if we fail to comply to the guidelines, especially now knowing how easy it has become for ANC to be taken to court,” said Mabuyane.

The PEC had therefore made a clarion call to all regions and branches to respect the guidelines. —