ANC halts suspension of official
THE ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) yesterday halted the suspension of the regional secretary of the John Taolo Gaetsewe District, Kagisho Peace Leserwane, who was charged with misconduct and accused of running a “one-man show”.
Both the provincial and regional ANC structures indicated that they would request PEC deployees to monitor the area.
The John Taolo Gaetsewe (JTG) Regional Executive Committee (REC) had announced yesterday that Leserwane’s actions were “highly destructive, factional and undesirable”.
JTG regional chairperson Seweditswe Gaobusiwe said that, in preparation for the ANC elective conference in December, the REC had considered the conduct of Leserwane as having the “potential of bringing the name of the ANC in the region into disrepute”.
“It contributes to the creation of a highly divisive and factional environment within the organisation,” said Gaobusiwe.
“Amongst others, Leserwane has failed to co-ordinate or convene ordinary REC meetings over a period of six months. This was done deliberately in order to paralyse legitimate structures and undermine the effectiveness of the REC to discharge its duties. The regional secretary outsourced the duties of the REC to his cabal, thus undermining the authority of the constitutional structure.”
Gaobusiwe said that Leserwane had failed to oversee branch general meetings (BGMs) and had also failed to draft and present to the REC a road map and guidelines for the regional conference.
He added that the audited membership and verification reports that should have been completed before the branch general meetings (BGMs) were never handed to the REC.
“His conduct is undermining the role of the REC to discuss conference preparations and to appoint conference committees as required. The regional secretary has handpicked conference delegates and sent out invitations to the leagues without consulting the REC.”
Gaobusiwe also said that a PEC member, who was not a deployee to the region, facilitated and participated in a BGM meeting.
He accused Lerserwane of instigating acts of factionalism and playing games to “tilt the balance of forces in his favour”.
“The REC was never appraised in terms of disputes received and how they are handled. This will deny other branches an opportunity to attend conferences as they will learn about disputes after the cut-off dates. All these deliberate and negligent actions, on the part of the regional secretary, have led to the ANC in the region to be in a state of paralysis.”
Gaobusiwe indicated that should Leserwane not be placed on temporary suspension, it would be to the detriment of unity and stability in the party in the region.
“He is deliberately sabotaging conference preparations so that he can have an extended term in office.
“His negligence is creating a fertile ground for litigations or judicial reviews that are unnecessary, hence our intervention as the REC to avoid such and to collapse his intentions.”
Gaobusiwe added that they would request the PEC to intervene to ensure that the regional conference was convened without any incidents.
“All branches and regions must be afforded and opportunity through properly convened BGMs to participate. The regional conference cannot be a one-man show.”
ANC provincial secretary Deshi Ngxanga stated that he had instructed the REC not to proceed with the suspension as the correct procedures had not been followed in instituting disciplinary action.
“The ANC in the Northern Cape will be sending in PEC deployees to the area to look into the matter,” said Ngxanga.