The ANC will on Thursday hold its last national executive committee (NEC) meeting to finalise reports ahead of the party’s 55th national elective conference at the Nasrec Expo Centre near Soweto. The conference gets under way on Friday and concludes on Tuesday.
The party heads to the elective conference fraught with divisions, as factions fight bitterly for leadership positions. While some members have been disqualified from contesting for NEC positions, nine others are contesting the list of 200 candidates nominated in November.
The disgruntled members have taken the matter to the high court in Johannesburg, which is expected to rule on the matter on Thursday, a day before the conference gets under way.
In their application, the disgruntled members want the court to compel the ANC’s electoral committee to release raw data on the nominations, after it only released the final list in November.
They also want the nominations to be scrapped and have all the 200 candidates renominated from conference floor. However, the electoral committee is set to oppose the matter on an urgent basis.
Sunday World understands that an opportunity will be provided for delegates to nominate candidates for the top six positions on Friday, before voting is held early on Saturday.
According to a draft programme of the conference, President Cyril Ramaphosa will present the political report on Friday morning. Among others, deputy president David Mabuza is also expected to address the delegates on Friday. The programme indicates that he will deliver the organisational report.
On Saturday, the ANC commissions are expected to table the party’s organisational strategy, renewal, management, and sustainability. Governance and transformation commissions will also be dealt with on Sunday.
The ANC will then announce the incoming NEC on Tuesday before the conference concludes.
The ruling party has set strict rules, and all the delegates have been asked to comply.
“Canvassing and lobbying for support shall be conducted in a dignified manner consistent with the character and traditions of the ANC. Slandering, negative campaigning and character assassination is strictly forbidden,” according to the rules governing the conference.
“Anyone found guilty of such an offence shall in addition to any other penalty which may be imposed by the national disciplinary committee be disqualified from standing for any position in the ANC.
“Any breach of discipline shall be reported to the steering committee, who shall bring such violations to the attention of the national disciplinary committee.”
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