ANC conference gets underway amid divisions among members
THE ANC provincial elective conference got off to an almost smooth start yesterday nearly spoilt by a group of disgruntled members, who forced their way towards the Port Elizabeth City Hall’s main entrance demanding to see the party’s provincial leaders.
The group was from the Nelson Mandela Metro’s ward 41, which covers Joe Slovo and parts of kwaDwesi.
They arrived in three minibus taxis, wielding placards demanding answers on how their branch managed to send delegates to the conference as quorum was not met for their branch general meeting on Sunday night.
Police were called in but things only normalised after national executive committee member Zizi Kodwa left the hall to listen to the group’s grievances.
The incident occurred minutes after ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane arrived at the centre.
But Kodwa brushed aside any possibility that the dispute would impact on their preparations for the conference.
He said the leadership would listen to the group and resolve the matter by late yesterday afternoon.
“There is a way in which an appeal is processed in the organisation – you write a letter.
“Some people for some reason get clobbered in a BGM and when they lose they walk out, when they realise that in fact the BGM went ahead in their absence they complain – which is this issue that we have outside.
“It’s unheard of in the organisation but we’ve dealt with it,” Kodwa said.
The party is meeting in Port Elizabeth to elect new provincial party leaders.
About 1 229 people were expected to register voting branch delegates to the conference by late last night.
Altogether 1 600 people, including invited guests, provincial executive committee (PEC) members and the leagues are expected to participate at the conference.
Each league has been allocated seats for 14 delegates.
The PEC will have 26 delegates while 40 seats have been reserved for regional executive committee members from the different region around the province.
The disgruntled members are understood to be part of a group within the ANC campaigning for Mabuyane to be replaced by Michael Peter, his fellow PEC member.
Mabuyane said processes leading up to the conference had been free, fair and transparent and they had been assisted by the party’s national executive committee.
“This is the same group who left the regional conference when credentials were adopted.
“The same group is showing its head through these anarchist tendencies,” Mabuyane said.
Deputy secretary Helen Sauls-August said the number of participants may increase subject to a decision made regarding the appeals process.
By late yesterday afternoon there were still a few unresolved disputes – two branches which were instructed to reconvene their BGMs and about five branches whose membership decreased after the membership renewal grace period lapsed.
The conference would see two factions battling for the party’s top three positions.
The one has Peter set to challenge Mabuyane as secretary, deputy secretary Sauls-August is expected to face a challenge from Ten-Ten Pikinini;while Zukiswa Faku is gunning for Thandiswa Marawu’s treasurer position.
But sources said deals were expected to be brokered immediately after the registration process, in preparation for the nomination process scheduled for 9am today.
This comes after three candidates were nominated for the deputy chairman position – Amathole’s Sakhumzi Somyo as well as OR Tambo’s Dingaan Myolwa and Prince Mancotywa. — / /