Bogus ANC ‘delegates’ caught red-handed

THE start of the Eastern Cape ANC’s 7th elective conference was marred with controversy after six people, including two illegal immigrants, were caught red-handed with fraudulent accreditation tags.

On arrival at the Humewood police station, where the six were held in custody, police spokesman Captain Stanley Jarvis confirmed the six were arrested inside the conference venue.

“The six men, aged between 19 and 21, are all from Johannesburg. Two are Zimbabweans and have since been remanded in custody,” Jarvis said.

The other four were released on warning and instructed to leave the conference venue. The ANC is holding its elective conference in Port Elizabeth at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

“The two are being charged under the Immigration Act and will appear in the local [PE] magistrate court today [Thursday].”

ANC provincial spokesman Mlibo Qoboshiyane said the provincial leadership was not aware of the arrests, but said they were a “clear sign that our security system is up to scratch”.

Asked how sure the leadership was about the status of delegates, Qoboshiyane said illegal delegates would be “smoked out” during voting.

“People will have to produce [their] ID and registration tag and be confirmed with what is in from regions,” he said.

Late yesterday, conference delegates were expected to look at credentials and, if adopted, nominate their preferred candidates.

But a rival group, which wants the outgoing provincial leadership replaced, said the arrests indicated that the registration process for delegates was fraudulent.

Chris Hani region’s Michael Peter, who was expected to challenge Oscar Mabuyane as provincial secretary, told the Daily Dispatch yesterday that they would use all avenues available to get to the bottom of the fraud.

Peter said: “There is a high possibility that there are more bogus delegates inside the conference venue. The arrest signals high possibility of fraud within the very administrators who are dealing with logistics.

“We are and

However, the head of ANC national deployees in the province, Derek Hanekom, said the deployees were not aware of any arrests.

Despite the incident, the close to 1 300 delegates continued with the conference as provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle presented his organisational report.

Among senior ANC leaders present at the conference were general-secretary Gwede Mantashe, who delivered the key note address, Sue van der Merwe, Zizi Kodwa and Pam Tshwete.

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register going to use ANC guidelines challenge these anomalies.”