ANC to decide on conference date

The ANC is likely to resolve that its party nomination process, which will allow members, branches and provinces to speak openly about who they want to lead the party for the next five years, should be opened in The Citizen June next year, yesterday.

The party’s national executive committee (NEC) will gather in Irene, east of Pretoria, this weekend for a meeting to decide on the date and venue for the party’s elective conference, scheduled to take place next year.

Yesterday, the ANC strongly discouraged any of its members or learnt structures against “pre-emptive, opportunistic and divisive public commentary” on the expected deliberations of the NEC.

This comes as the jostling for positions at the ANC’s much-awaited conference has gained momentum and amid calls in some quarters for the party to hold an early elective conference.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and outgoing African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma are still regarded as front-runners in the ANC presidential race.

Some senior ANC members told The Citizen yesterday that the three-day NEC meeting would discuss the dwindling ANC membership, the venue and the date for the elective conference.

They said the NEC would resolve that ANC members, branches and provinces must be given time to engage on who should replace President Jacob Zuma to avoid infighting. Zuma was re-elected at Mangaung in 2012 with unresolved issues. There were even threats to interdict the conference by some party members. –