ANC elective conference delayed – again.
The Mpumalanga ANC has delayed its elective conference yet again.
This is another of several delays that have plagued the provincial ANC over the last four years. The party has effectively been without leadership since 2017, when David Mabuza left to become deputy president of the party.
Time is ticking for the June deadline that has been set for the party to hold its elective conference.
Instability and violence have plagued branch general meetings (BGMs) leading up to the elective conference. The BGMs had to nominate candidates for the provincial conference.
According to the party’s constitution, 70 per cent of branches have to complete their meetings for the elective conference to take place.
However, violence and unrest at BGMs, most notably in Nkomazi, led the party to temporarily suspend these in the province. This prompted the national executive council (NEC) to deploy a task team to Mpumalanga to ensure that the rest of the BGMs would run smoothly.
On May 10, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the NEC had barred the Nkomazi ANC branch from resuming meetings.
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The incident in question that led to this decision occurred on April 11, when some men – allegedly from another branch – armed with pangas, stormed a BGM in the Nkomazi Ward. Several members were critically injured.
A major focus of the elective conference is the factionalism plaguing the party. Six factions are expected to contest the conference.
The Ngci faction, to which Mabuza belongs, has selected Lucky Ndinisa as the candidate to be provincial ANC chairperson. Ndinisa previously served as the provincial ANC secretary.
Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane and acting provincial chairperson Mandla Ndlovu are also running. Reports suggest that all factions will form a coalition to oppose the Ngci faction.
This is all playing out against the backdrop of the ANC’s step-aside resolution. In an attempt to clean its reputation, the party announced on March 29 that all members with charges against them must step aside or face disciplinary action.
The Mpumalanga members, whose names were handed to the NEC, were mostly accused of violent acts rather than corruption.
The MEC for agriculture, Mandla Msibi, is one of the most prominent names handed to the NEC.
The name of Eric Kholwane, a member of the provincial executive committee, has also been submitted. He was charged with sexual assault and was suspended from the ANC and provincial executive committee until the case is finalised.
