Amathole branches the focus for ANC leaders in EC visit

THE ANC national leaders tasked to help fast-track the convening of elective meetings across branches in three provinces, including the Eastern Cape, will hit the ground running from today.

ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukaitobi announced this yesterday as branches across regions race to meet the Sunday deadline.

Ngcukaitobi said the “organising team” led by Police Minister Fikile Mbalula is likely to spend most of its time in the Amathole region, where only 34% of 104 branches are in good standing, and have yet to hold branch general meetings (BGMs).

These meetings are meant to elect delegates to the conference as well as nominate candidates to replace the President Jacob Zuma-led national executive committee (NEC).

The decision to dispatch teams to the provinces was taken at last weekend’s three-day NEC meeting after it received a report revealing that only 66% of Eastern Cape branches had held BGMs, 40.8% in KwaZulu-Natal and 54% in Western Cape.

“Our main concern at this stage is Amathole, where 66% of the branches have not held BGMs. This is a big number considering that the region has 104 branches. The team will come and assist the PEC in speeding up processes in Amathole in the main,” said Ngcukayitobi.

This comes a week after the Dispatch reported on the status of BGMs across regions, reflecting that O R Tambo, Alfred Nzo in Emaxesibeni and Sarah Baartman in the Grahamstown area were leading, with all three regions almost done with BGMs. Lagging behind was Amathole, Joe Gqabi in Aliwal North, Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.

But Ngcukaitobi announced yesterday the situation had improved in Nelson Mandela “as only 30 branches were outstanding as of Tuesday”.

The Mbalula team’s visit comes as party members in the province await the visit of a separate task team, which will be here to investigate a dispute lodged by some ANC branches on events leading to the election of Oscar Mabuyane as ANC provincial chairman last month.

The meeting, held at the East London ICC, turned violent and, subsequently, a rival group led by Premier Phumulo Masualle left the venue before the election process started.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said initially the concern was registered as a complaint, but a different approach was taken following the ANC officials’ visit two weeks ago, and the case has now officially been recorded as a dispute.

Mantashe said the team, led by NEC member Sbu Ndebele, would visit the affected branches to investigate the matter.

The team must table a report to the NEC in two weeks’ time.