The ANC is deliberating on a list of grievances raised by the regions in the North West, according to Obed Bapela, the ruling party’s national executive committee (NEC) deployee to the province.
This after disgruntled ANC members in the North West on Friday staged a march to demand the reinstatement of 155 councillor candidates who were removed from the local government elections’ list in November.
The regions submitted a memorandum at the governing party’s provincial office, Mpekwa House in Mahikeng, where they also called “for the removal” of both the interim provincial committee (IPC) and interim regional committees (IRC).
Bapela, who received the memorandum, said all the grievances raised would form part of the ANC NEC meeting on 25 to 27 this month.
Bapela said: “This is not the first memorandum submitted to us. I think they are just punctuating and updating it. The first memorandum was in December 2021, while the second one was in January 2022. This is the third one.
Lopang Rothman, speaking on behalf of the regions, said: “We also call on the ANC to allow branches working together with the Luthuli House, NEC deployees, and the North West provincial list committee (PLC) to prepare for the provincial and regional conferences.
“We also want to see disciplinary action taken against the IPC coordinator Hlomani Chauke and everyone implicated in flouting the ANC local government election processes, as reported by national list committee (NLC) chairperson Kgalema Motlanthe.”
Rothman further said the NEC should also account to ANC branches for its failure to comply with the court order that instructed it to reinstate the provincial executive committee led by its former chairperson Supra Mahumapelo.
“We want the NEC to account to ANC branches and members on why the IPC and IRCs were allowed to be in office beyond what is prescribed by the party constitution. Today, our province is experiencing myriad court applications with the ANC at the core because of
individuals who could not control their lust for power.
“Even when it is clear on the role that is supposed to be played by the PLC, the IPC continues to undermine that structure.”
ANC IPC spokesperson Kenny Morolong said: “First, we wish to place it on record that the electoral committee, chaired by Kgalema Motlanthe, has on numerous occasions spelled out the processes that will be undertaken to investigate and finalise the dispute regarding councillor candidates’ selection processes.
“We respect the authority of the electoral committee and we will be guided by its decisions. Undoubtedly, the circumvention of the ANC internal processes poses a threat to the existence of the party. The IPC will fully cooperate with the electoral committee and abide by its decision.”
Bapela said: “Luckily, the NEC officials are aware of their grievances. The process of engaging on the North West province matter has started and it will form part of the ANC NEC that will commence on 25, 26 and 27 March 2022.”
Bapela added that they hoped the point of engagement with the IPC officials and the ANC national working committee would be able to make a determination on all matters raised.
He also said the much-anticipated provincial elective conference, scheduled to take place at the end of this month, would not happen because the province does not have a 70% threshold.
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