Chairperson issues stern warning

THE NEWLY-elected chairperson of the ANC in the John Taolo Gaetsewe region, Neo Masegela, has urged the new regional leadership to deal with issues that affect the party’s reputation and integrity, or “face its demise”.

The regional conference, which was convened in Kathu over the weekend, was snubbed by the former chairperson, Seweditse Gaobusiwe, who did not attend or make a chairperson’s report available to delegates.

However, both the treasurer’s financial report and the secretary’s organisational report were presented and adopted.

The mayor of the Gamagara Local Municipality, Edwin Hantise, was elected as the deputy chairperson, while Kagisho Peace Leserwane retained his position as the regional secretary, with Sizwe Mlangeni as his deputy. The new regional treasurer and the only woman in the top five leadership is Violet Jordaan.

All five top positions were elected unopposed.

Masegela, who is also the mayor of Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality, issued a stern warning to those who used state resources to fight factional battles.

“As the JTG region, we must be firm against corporate capture of the ANC and the state, institutionalised factionalism, gate-keeping and manipulation of internal democracy, the use of patronage and state resources to fight factional battles within the organisation, the looting of state resources and corruption,” Masegela enthused.

The conference delegates also declared the region’s support for Cyril Ramaphosa to become the next president of the ANC at the party’s upcoming national conference.