The ANC has warned that senior party leaders who voted with opposition parties in parliament undermined the unity of the organisation and could encourage councillors and members of provincial legislatures to not follow party line.
Addressing the media at the start of the ANC’s 55th National Conference at the Nasrec Expo Centre near Soweto on Friday, ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said the party will not compromise on the principle of following party line when voting on matters.
Mabe said Thursday’s special meeting of the national executive committee (NEC) has reaffirmed the issue of party line.
“Not toeing the line, if not handled properly, has a potential to erode party unity. The NEC, in its deliberations, concluded that following party line is important for party unity,” he said, adding that the ruling party does not want its councillors and members of legislatures to use the excuse of ANC MPs in undermining the decisions of the NEC.
His sentiments came after five MPs of the ANC voted with opposition parties during a National Assembly sitting on Tuesday, following the debate on the adoption of the Section 89 Independent Panel of experts report into the theft of foreign currency at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.
Presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma led a handful group of ANC MPs to vote against the party line. Joining Dlamini-Zuma in defiance were former North West chairperson Supra Mahumapelo and former mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane, among others.
The NEC meeting also agreed that the rebel MPs will be subjected to party processes by the incoming NEC, which will be announced when the conference concludes on Tuesday.
Mabe explained: “We are deferring this to the incoming national executive committee with a report, because the handover report does those kinds of traces that I spoke about, where there had been cadres who had done similar acts in the past.
“The national executive committee, out of its own collective wisdom, will decide on its own authority. You can’t take a report to comrades with recommendations, because you’re stifling them, you might as well take that decision yourself.
“Allow these things to be processed by the incoming NEC, because we would not have the time. We are not abdicating our duties as the outgoing NEC.”
Mabe’s comments come after it emerged that the party’s national disciplinary committee has written to Dlamini-Zuma informing her that she will face disciplinary action for voting with opposition parties.
Sunday World has learnt that there are concerns that the disciplinary action is being used to block Dlamini-Zuma from challenging Ramaphosa for the position of ANC presidency.
“Some in the ANC Women’s League support the president, but the targeting of a female is not supported,” according to one ANC leader.
The conference got off to a slow start due to glitches in the registration of delegates. This after it came to light that while some party members are delegates to the conference, their membership is not in good standing.
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