Internal court battles could cost ruling party

THE ANC’s eThekwini Region leadership has warned of severe repercussions that could harm the ANC’s prospects in next year’s general elections if disgruntled party members continued fighting their battles through the courts.

Unhappy party members from four of the province’s 11 regions successfully applied to the Pietermaritzburg High Court to interdict the ANC’s provincial conference last weekend.

ANC eThekwini secretary Bheki Ntuli said party members should not allow the courts to be used to prevent the ANC from having a solid leadership structure.

“Right now we should be on the campaign trail, fully led by an elected provincial leadership structure, with a programme to campaign so people can vote for the ANC next year.

“But having people who, when they’re not elected or those they prefer are not elected, then take the ANC to court is the challenge we’re facing.

“The people must know what’s important is to have a solid ANC, not whose friends are elected to lead the province,” said Ntuli.

He said the court battles the party was facing would have an adverse effect on the party’s prospects at the polls next year.

“You can’t run a proper campaign without the machinery, or a common centre which is a provincial structure.

“If you campaign in the regions, then it will be the regions campaigning on their own,” Ntuli said.