Conference chaos in N Cape

There are strong moves to challenge the ANC Northern Cape provincial conference outcomes as a group of disgruntled members are unhappy, claiming the new provincial leadership was elected irregularly.

A letter was sent to Luthuli House yesterday to ask it to intervene and review the conference. At the centre of the dispute was the alleged failure of the conference to discuss members’ credentials, which were questioned by some delegates.

Disgruntled members, who supported Premier Sylvia Lucas’ decision not to participate in the election of the new provincial executive committee (PEC), said some branches were deliberately excluded from participating in the conference.

They were left out allegedly because they did not favour former provincial secretary Zamani Saul, who has since been elected as provincial chairperson.

However, the conference went ahead and elected Bentley Vass as deputy chairperson, Eric Deshi Ngxanga as provincial secretary, Maruping Lekwene as deputy secretary and Fufe Makotong as treasurer. The executives were elected unopposed after the Sylvia Lucas camps were not available for election.

An ANC source in the Northern Cape said some of the branches in the Frances Baard region were deliberately excluded although they were legitimate.

“At Frances Baard, there were parallel branch general meetings, but the wrong ones were audited,” the source said.

“Lucas didn’t just decline to stand for elections, but she and others walked out of the conference in protest because credentials were not discussed,” the source said.

Saul said those who wanted to challenge the outcome or legitimacy of the conference were welcome to do so. “They are welcome, but we are confident that all the necessary processes were followed by the previous PEC,” Saul said.

No-one from the ANC was avaliable for comment.