Sanco’s factional malaise drags on

POLITICAL schizophrenia reigns supreme in the deeply divided ANC-aligned South African Civic Organisation (Sanco).

One of the two Sancos operating in the province convened an elective conference at the weekend, voting to keep its incumbent chair Zukile Luyenge in his position.

In a phenomenon known as “parallel structures”, officials from each grouping claim they are the authentic and legitimate Sanco.

On January 29, Zola Mlenzana was elected to chair the other structure after a court ruling that his Sanco faction was entitled to hold its conference.

It was given the go-ahead by the court just two days before it sat, after Luyenge’s attempts to interdict the meeting failed.

Luyenge said the conference that elected him at the weekend was convened by the national leadership. He was unfazed by Mlenzana’s faction, saying his group would just continue to operate as before without interruption.

“We are happy with the outcomes of the conference and we are particularly happy about the number of people that attended,” he said.

The crippled ANC alliance partner had been trying to convene a conference since last year. But not only are the two conferences supported by different individual Sanco NEC members, the same “parallel structure” impasse exists at national level.

The Luyenge conference at the weekend was supported by one Sanco national deputy secretarygeneral, Robbie Tsikwe, while Mlenzana’s January conference was supported and upheld by the other national secretary-general, Skhumbuzo Mpanza.

A December date for a national conference is supported by Luyenge’s faction, which has already hitched its wagon to the star of incumbent president Richard Mdakana.

“[We] reject totally [a] ... national conference in March ... [and call for] Mpanza’s suspension and for an independent forensic audit of treasurer-general Roy Moodley,” said Luyenge.