Mystery over ‘quarantined’ votes for top six spots

The mystery surrounding 68 “quarantined” votes – which could affect the composition of the ANC's top leadership – remained exactly that yesterday.

While Cyril Ramaphosa supporters believe the votes could elevate their candidate Senzo Mchunu to the position of secretary-general, there was no word from the party’s steering committee was tasked with dealing with the matter.

The 68 votes were excluded from the final count after the delegates were accredited as voters, although their names did not appear on the voters’ roll. It was decided that the votes should be put aside and that a decision regarding their validity would be taken later.

While vigorous calls sounded for the recounting of the votes for all the top six officials, followers of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma demanded that the entire voting process for the top six officials should be started afresh.

Ace Magashule was elected ANC secretary-general, obtaining a mere 24 votes more than Mchunu.

“Senzo should be the new ANC secretary-general. We came here to vote for him. It is our right to vote and our votes must be counted,” said a member from KwaZulu-Natal, who asked to remain anonymous.

North West ANC provincial chairperson Supra Mahumapelo said delegates from North West province agreed that, while they accepted the outcome and Ramaphosa as new ANC president, there must be a re-vote.

“As North West we will demand a re-run of the whole process for the top six.”

An ANC steering committee attended to the matter from the early hours of yesterday.