NC ANC objects to ‘ballooning’ of delegates

WITH a few days to go before ANC President Jacob Zuma steps down as party president, the ANC in the Province has fiercely objected to the irregular “ballooning” of delegates in the Northern Cape.

These delegates will supplement the allocated number of voters to elect the new ANC president, during the 54th ANC national elective conference that will take place in Gauteng this weekend.

It appears that it will be a tight race between deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Jacob Zuma’s ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, to succeed Zuma.

The Northern Cape indicated at its Provincial General Council meeting that 154 members had voted for Ramaphosa and 11 nominations were received for DlaminiZuma where 197 delegates will be casting their votes this weekend.

In a letter addressed to the Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe on December 9, ANC Provincial Secretary Deshi Ngxanga noted that the ANC in KwaZulu Natal had approached the Secretary-General’s office to increase the number of delegates as there had been a “miscalculation”.

“This is particularly disturbing to us as the National Executive Committee (NEC) had already agreed on the current allocation of delegates per Province. As the Northern Cape, we are of the view that any increase outside of that which has been agreed upon by the NEC, will not be constitutional, will warrant an investigation and therefore cannot be left unchallenged. We deliberately raise this matter well in advance to avoid indulgence on the matter at the 54th national conference of the ANC and beyond.”

Ngxanga was aware of intentions to increase delegates in both the Northern Cape as well as KwaZulu Natal.

“The Northern Cape will fight this tooth and nail. The criteria we used to allocate delegates protects small provinces from abuse by bigger provinces using their membership superiority… to strong arm and muzzle other provinces.”

He explained that the number of delegates were selected in proportion to the branch and provincial membership.

“In the Northern Cape the percentage of our membership in relation to the national membership is four percent where we are limited to 197 delegates. The NEC agreed on the current allocation. Any attempt to change the current allocation will be met with fierce contestation from the Northern Cape.”

Ngxanga added that branches that did not convene branch general meetings that reached a quorum, should not be allowed to attend the national conference, in line with the internal practices of the ANC.