Strongholds too late, left out in cold

Only 145 of 189 W Cape branches to be at ANC elective conference

WITH less than 13 days before the ANC’s national elective conference starts, delegates in the Western Cape are in disarray as key stronghold branches have been excluded.

Provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs said only 145 out of the 189 branches in the province will be represented at the ANC’s 54th national conference. The other branches will be mopped up, before the conference starts, he said, but some within the party have raised concerns.

Branches not going to the ANC 54th National Conference after they have successfully passed the audit in Dullah Omar region are wards 104, 107, 80, 88, 40, 41, 42, 39, 34, 35, 36, 38, 52, 18, 87, 94, 99, 97, 49, 15. The majority of these branches are in the ANC strongholds of Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Philippi and Langa.

Members in the region have complained that the traditional base of the ANC in the Western Cape, the Cape Metro in particular, have been ignored.

“The problem is manipulation, gatekeeping and ghost membership. We don’t have an organisation in Dullah Omar, period. This REC under the leadership of Xolani Sotashe and Vuyiso ‘JJ’ Tyhalisisu is dead, no organisation; just factionalism and blind loyalty is the order of the day,” one member told the Cape Argus.

Wards 32, 93 and 111 are waiting for dispute resolution. Sotashe referred all queries to Tyhalisisu who then referred queries to the provincial headquarters.

ANC provincial spokesperson Yonela Diko said only five branches that had lodged disputes would be considered.

“The rest of the branches will not be considered. The secretary-general (Gwede Mantashe) made it clear that all branch