11 ANC leaders accuse regional coordinator George Matjila of manipulating branch elections, threatening provincial election outcomes in Tshwane.
The ANC Greater Tshwane regional leadership is embroiled in a factional battle that could affect future party provincial election outcomes as the province’s strength hinges on Tshwane, the second-largest after the Greater Johannesburg region.
Eleven members of the Greater Tshwane regional task team (RTT), led by deputy convenor Frans Boshielo, deputy coordinator Sidwell Manana and fundraiser Simphiwe Mbatha, have written to Luthuli House and the Gauteng ANC leadership complaining about the manipulation of the branch elections process by certain RTT members.
The leaders, who called themselves Concerned Regional Executive Committee Members, point fingers at regional coordinator George Matjila and his allies for manipulating the current branch election processes.
Matjila and allies face accusations of election manipulation
The leadership told the ANC top structures nationally and in the province about their intention to cleanse the rogue elements within their structures where they identified “wrong” and “un-ANC” conduct.
They insisted on moving with speed to develop a programme to deal with the tendencies as a collective Tshwane ANC REC.
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“The ANC in Tshwane is besieged with rogue elements at the highest level of our leadership and branches. We have serious organisational shortcomings,” the Concerned REC members said in the letter.
They claimed that Matjila had publicly alleged he cooperated with the office of the ANC secretary-general to manipulate members in Tshwane.
The members said Matjila drove around with his comrades and attended branch general meetings (BGMs) and branch biannual meetings (BBGMs), allegedly threatening members to nominate him so the branches can pass the audit.
Threatening voter participation
Matjila, along with regional chair Bonzo Modise and another member, Tlangi Mogale, were accused of “stealing” branches so they support their re-election.
Of the 32 branches that were expected to go to BGMs, 26 had lodged disputes about the electoral process, which was allegedly manipulated by Matjila and his group, who have a vested interest in the outcomes.
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“The majority of branches in Tshwane have serious membership irregularities, most of the renewed membership does not appear on the ANC portal, and despite this challenge, the regional coordinator insists on convening the branches for BBGMs and BGMs because the situation favours his factional grouping,” Boshielo wrote on behalf of the concerned leaders.
“There is a potential of disgruntlement of the old membership leading them to not participate in the 2026 local government elections due to the narrow selfish interests for positions by the regional coordinator and his cronies.
This is at the heart of voter apathy and turnout at the polls.
Behaviour ‘unbecoming’
The behaviour of the regional coordinator is quite unbecoming and he has even at some point fought with one branch secretary in the regional office, accusing him of not supporting him for re-election,” alleged Boshielo.
They were concerned that Tshwane had registered a sharp decline in voter turnout since the 2023 election and the problem was linked to the election of Matjila as secretary and Bonzo Modise as chair.
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The disgruntled members questioned the ANC’s failure to apply the step-aside rule against Matjila, as required by the party’s constitution when a member is charged criminally.
