ANC workers picket outside party headquarters at Luthuli House in Johannesburg on 6 August 2021. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
Branches of the African National Congress (ANC) in Ekurhuleni are hoping to elect new leadership on Sunday after the region’s eighth elective conference was marred by delays.
The conference, taking place in Fourways, Johannesburg, was disrupted on Saturday after delegates raised concerns over alleged membership manipulation.
The delegates claimed that some members have been disqualified and certain branches were excluded.
This resulted in a 10-hour delay, but the verification process for credentials of delegates has since been concluded.
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The nomination and voting process is expected to take place on Sunday.
ANC Ekurhuleni chairperson Mzwandile Masina is up against the party’s former regional treasurer Doctor Xhakaza.
Masina is running for a third term as regional ANC chairperson.
Xhakaza’s supporters claimed branches that have shown support towards him have been excluded from participating in the conference.
Chairs and other objects were thrown around outside the registration venue in Boksburg on Friday, with the conduct of some party members being slammed by ANC Gauteng chairperson David Makhura.
Makhura likening the gathering to a warzone.
“This has made us ashamed as ANC members. The atmosphere and the environment is like a warzone. I see arms, I see the sort of things that [is] happening around the vicinity of this conference that says to me that this is not an ANC conference,” he during a media briefing on Saturday.
The ANC Gauteng chairperson also warned members not to feel entitled to leadership positions in the party.
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“There are those who believe that there is no need to be in the ANC, when the ANC is out of power. Those people must leave now. We want those who will remain, even when the ANC is not in control. Who said we are entitled to positions?”
He further told delegates that the conference must wrap up its work by the end of Sunday.
The regional branch lost control of the City of Ekurhuleni in the 2021 local government elections.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) governs the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality in a minority government with smaller opposition political parties, including ActionSA.