Branches face conference ban
“We want to inform Zuma that we were not booing him. The ANC provincial elective conference is being bankrolled by business people and not the ANC,” they claimed.
ANC members who want to prevent the conference from taking place said that the interdict application was still pending.
“We will not go down without a fight. We refuse to hand over the conference to (Zamani) Saul, who is contesting the position of ANC provincial chairman, on a golden platter. We sent the lawyer’s letters to the provincial office without receiving any response. If the conference goes ahead, the interdict will be served.”
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has received Saul’s support, will be delivering the keynote address in Colesberg tomorrow while addresses will be made by the ANC Youth League, ANC Women’s League, ANC Veterans League, Cos- atu, SACP and Sanco.
Saul yesterday said that he predicted no problems during the conference.
“All systems are in place and service providers, including the caterers, have been paid. The tent in which the conference will take place has been set up and will be handed over by the contractors today. About 85 percent of the delegates have been pre-registered. As Colesberg is a small town there have been some logistical problems such as arranging a venue that is big enough to accommodate us, as the ANC has grown in numbers.”
He stated that 4 000 beds had been reserved in Colesberg by the ANC for the conference.
Saul added that special security features had been incorporated into delegates’ tags.
“It is close to impossible to duplicate the access cards.”
He pointed out that while the contestation battle had naturally brought about strain on the unity of the party, it was the responsibility of the party to manage and mitigate any divisions that may arise.
“It is all about who is the best candidate to lead the party. Without contestation, there is no leadership. It is not the time to pull out knives and fight each other with force. It has been a time of intensive engagement where members have been allowed to raise their differ- ent perspectives. Nothing is cast in stone.”
Other ANC members pointed out that no one had a birth right to claim the leadership of the party.
“The 2007 ANC conference in Moshwaneng was also filled with tensions, typified by a heavy police presence and private security and personal bodyguards. After all was said and done, we returned to our miserable lives and the world did not end. This conference will come and go and it won’t be any different.”