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‘It’s war’: ANC KZN members called on to be calm amidst delays
Tensions are running high as thousands wait for accreditation at the Unisa center in Ormonde.
ANC members arrive at Nasrec in Johannesburg, 16 December 2022, for the ANC’s 55th elective conference. Photo: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has urged its members to be patient as delays continue to mar the Nasrec conference on Friday.
Tensions ran high as thousands waited for accreditation at the Unisa center in Ormonde.
ALSO READ: ANC55: Accreditation crisis on first day of conference
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‘Neutralising’ KZN ‘influence’
Provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele insinuated that the delays were an attempt to neutralise his province’s influence, saying “it’s war.”
“We call on our members to be calm. As KZN we said from the onset that this is not going to be an easy process.
“This is a war… this is about the lives of our people… even [if] we stay here until midnight, we call for smooth process.
“Provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo and other leaders are inside trying to fast-track this process and sort out the issue to ensure that everyone from KZN is getting into conference.”
He said although Eskom power cuts caused some of the delays, organisers should have planned better and brought in generators.
“However, we do not want this conference to collapse. We are here and we will be patient.”
KZN has the largest number of delegates in the ANC, at last count, topping 881 members.
ALSO READ: ANC leadership in KZN ‘won’t vote for Ramaphosa’
Mkhize for president
The province is mainly made up supporters of the radical economic transformation (RET) faction of the ANC, who are backing former health minister Zweli Mkhize.
Mndebele reiterated his province’s choice of Mkhize for ANC president.
“We want to elect leaders who will implement policies of radical economic transformation without failure. And we believe that the collective led by comrade Zweli Mkhize is the only one that will be capable of implementing such policies,” he said.
The conference is set to get underway at 2pm.
