ANC Free State members suspended over unauthorised conference

In an apparent clean up of the party on its renewal path, the newly elected ANC leadership in the Free State has suspended five members in the Mangaung metro region who allegedly organised an unauthorised parallel regional conference in November last year.

The parallel conference was organised following massive dissatisfaction by some members who claimed the Mangaung ANC interim regional committee (IRC) marginalised them and did not inform them about meetings to prepare for the regional conference.

Subsequently, due to the infighting, two party regional structures were elected. The ANC provincial executive committee (PEC), led by chair Mxolisi Dukwana, suspended Patrick Monyakoane, Fannie Lelimo, Tonto Selaledi, Senki Dipholo and Monnapule Ntamo pending disciplinary proceedings against them.

They were served with letters of suspension by provincial secretary Polediso Motsoeneng at the weekend. ANC provincial spokesperson Jabu Mbalula confirmed the members had been suspended and that their matters had been referred to the provincial disciplinary committee.

He said the charges against the five would be drafted by the ANC provincial officials. Mbalula said the charges emanated from “an unmandated media statement that was issued”. He did not explain the actual contents of the statement. It is understood the five were behind the parallel regional conference held at President’s Hotel in Bloemfontein in November last year but not sanctioned by the ANC.

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A conference sanctioned by the Free State ANC IRC was held at Mvelo Safari Lodge outside Bloemfontein on the same day.

Three IPC members were deployed to the unauthorised conference to persuade the rebels to join the approved conference but their efforts were in vain.

The national steering committee chaired by ANC national executive committee (NEC) member David Mahlobo reported the matter, among others, to the NEC.

A special NEC meeting on 20 February resolved to direct the PEC to take appropriate action against the organisers of the unconstitutional conference.

In a letter to each of the five members, Motsoeneng said the members were suspended with immediate effect in terms of Rule 25.56 of the ANC constitution pending disciplinary proceedings against them. The ANC constitution provided for NEC, the PEC or their respective substructures, as the case may be, to summarily suspend the membership of a member pending disciplinary action.

During the temporary suspension, a member cannot exercise any of his or her rights in terms of the ANC constitution.

The matter had been referred to the disciplinary committee. None of the suspended members were available for comment by the time of going to press.

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