The highly contested ANC Eastern Cape provincial conference got off to a chaotic start as it continued to be overshadowed by disputes over the legitimacy of certain party branches and delegates.
The conference is proceeding in an unusual manner as the Provincial Dispute Resolution Committee and the National Dispute Resolution Committee continue to process and resolve disputes in order to enable cleared delegates to participate.
This is despite the fact that the cut-off date of 20 April has long passed, but the arrangement was reached by the Provincial Task Team (PTT) and various ANC committees after more than 50 branches had outstanding disputes on the eve of the conference.
By the time we went to print, there were about 16 branches from Chris Hani Region and six from Dr WB Rubusana Region that were either convening or awaiting verification of their meetings.
ANC Eastern Cape provincial task team coordinator Lulama Ngcukayitobi said there are about 614 branches that are participating but that number could change as more branches could be added after their disputes were resolved.
He said: “There are 40 branches from Rubusana and 97 from Chris Hani, except those who have been quarantined.”
ANC Eastern Cape NEC deployee Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said there were some Chris Hani Region branches that will participate in the conference but their results will be quarantined.
Addressing the quarantine matter, Motsoaledi said: “It’s not happening for the first time, if there are issues in the ANC branches that are not clarified or if it is not known how materially they will affect the conference, they’ll be allowed to participate but their votes will be put aside. Then in the end we check if their participation will change the conference materially, then we make a ruling.”
Motsoaledi also admitted that there are ANC employees linked to the office of Nomvula Mokonyane, the party’s national organiser, who have been charged and are facing disciplinary action in relation to the manipulation of party memberships. Members of the ANC in Chris Hani Region have often blamed Mokonyane’s office and accused her of trying to sabotage Chris Hani participation in order to weaken Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, who originates from and is fully supported by the Chris Hani Region.
Several meetings between the Eastern Cape provincial task team and the National Executive Committee took place throughout the week to iron out issues related to disputed branches and delegates.
As the conference was underway an ANC member from Dr WB Rubusana Region, Ondela Sokomani, lodged an urgent court interdict against the regional branches, citing the court order against the party’s regional conference, which ordered the rerun of branches whose meetings were held in February and March this year.
The papers were yet to be served by the time of print.
Mabuyane is set to be contested by the public works MEC Babalo Madikizela and provincial deputy speaker Mlibo Qoboshiyane.
During the opening of the conference, Mabuyane urged all delegates not to sing support songs of individuals contesting but revolutionary songs. His call fell on deaf ears. Delegates supporting Madikizela refused to enter the conference hall, claiming the conference hall was infiltrated by illegitimate Mabuyane delegates.
They started singing outside of the venue until the intervention of Madikizela and NEC deployee Ronald Lamola.
Madikizela addressed his supporters through his Facebook post regarding discipline, saying ground rules are necessary.
The conference got underway and was opened by the ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe, who made a call to discipline ANC members who are involved in the manipulation of the party processes.
On the other hand, Mantashe urged delegates not to be divided by the party conferences and said those who lose elections should congratulate those who have succeeded.
“We belong together, we cannot be divided by conferences.”
Delegates continued to make accusations about the presence of illegitimate delegates throughout the continuation of the conference.
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