ANC and DA walk different roads on elective conferences

While the ANC wants regions that were supposed to elect new leaders from March to motivate why they should not be dissolved and replaced with task teams as Covid-19 forces indefinite postponement of elective conferences, the DA is flirting with electing its provincial structure virtually.

ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said until it was declared safe to hold gatherings, their regional structures would continue being run by leaders whose terms had expired.

However, where regional executive committees (RECs) are completely dysfunctional, Calata House would step in and appoint task teams to manage the affairs of the region.

But the DA, which was initially supposed to elect a new provincial executive committee between May 15 and 16 in Graaff Reinet, is considering electing leaders online at its congress in August.

Gatherings will still be prohibited after level 3 of the coronavirus lockdown kicks in on June 1, meaning most ANC regions — including OR Tambo, Amathole and Nelson Mandela Bay — will be unable to have their elective congress any time soon.

Ngcukayitobi said they had to do things differently now, and it would not be business as usual even post-Covid-19.

Each REC should assess the validity and efficacy of its own structure, he said. “They have to make motivation as to why they should not be dissolved and replaced with interim structures.

“It’s not their fault they have not gone to their conferences — it’s on the basis of the material realities that we are confronted with as an organisation and the world over.”

DA provincial chair Andrew Whitfield, who is vying for another term, said the PEC had tasked him and provincial MD Almarie Botha to investigate the possibility of having a virtual congress.

A final decision would be made when the PEC met towards the end of June.

Normally, the DA votes by secret ballot.

Asked if that would be a problem at a virtual congress, Whitfield said: “We will have to look at systems to see how secrecy can be protected. Parties have online elective congresses all over the world, so I’m sure we can overcome the issue.”

Should the DA give the virtual congress plan the thumbs up, it will only elect new leaders and not make constitutional amendments.

Asked whether they had considered extending the PEC’s term, Whitfield said that would not be ideal.

“It’s important to have regular elections to hit the refresh button; if people want to elect new leaders they must have the opportunity to do so,” he said.

Gatherings will still be prohibited after level 3 of the coronavirus lockdown kicks in on June 1, meaning most ANC regions will be unable to have their elective congress any time soon