A BIG clean up of the ANC in two of its most influential regions – Buffalo City and OR Tambo – is on the cards as the party readies itself for a bruising battle in the coming local government elections next year.
The Daily Dispatch has leant that several branch secretaries and possibly senior regional leaders in the party’s troubled regions face suspension if found guilty of membership rigging.
They could be suspended as early as tomorrow.
This emerged as ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte is in the province to resolve disputes that have been lodged by a number of branches.
Duarte is the national executive committee (NEC) head of disputes.
She has been in the province since Tuesday listening and resolving disputes from different branches. She has met with branch members from at least four regions – BCM, OR Tambo, Chris Hani and Amathole.
She spent yesterday at the party’s regional offices in East London handling BCM disputes.
Of the 13 BCM branches which have held successful branch general meetings (BGMs) so far, Duarte received disputes and complaints from five.
ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said when more complaints started flooding into the party’s provincial office at Calata House by Tuesday evening, they asked Duarte to extend her stay by two more days.
This is to ensure that the BCM and OR Tambo disputes were resolved.
He said any member found involved in fraud will be subjected to a disciplinary process.
“We stated as the PEC earlier that such a person will be suspended immediately.
“Most BCM branches have yet to go to their BGMs, but some members were already registering complaints.
“But officials are busy sorting out all such irregularities and by the end of this week we will have records of how many legitimate complaints there are and how many have been resolved and most importantly who will be disciplined for having been involved in gatekeeping,” said Mabuyane.
Among those that have already complained to Duarte is Viwe Sidali, a member of the ANC in Duncan Village.
Sidali confirmed to the Dispatch that he went to Duarte on Tuesday after a faction continued with an elective meeting at his branch even though it had been called off after the lights at the venue had gone off.
“Eight people, whose ANC membership was less than two years, were elected as branch leaders,” said Sidali.
According to ANC rules a person cannot serve as a branch leader unless they have been a member of the party for two years.
Duarte’s visit to East London was met with mixed reaction yesterday.
While busy engaging in a lengthy all-day meeting with disgruntled branches inside the Oxford Street regional office, more than 200 members of the ANC – mostly from the two dominant factions – demonstrated outside.
They danced while singing pro and anti Buffalo City region secretary Pumlani Mkolo songs.
Mkolo is one of the accused in the Nelson Mandela funeral funds scandal.
Also seen among the crowd were councillors Ayanda Peter, Siyabonga Jabavu and Sindiswa Gomba.
Duarte is expected to visit Mthatha today to handle disputes from OR Tambo region branches.
Fraud cases registered with Duarte so far include:
lBulk buying of membership where an individual buys membership on behalf of a number of people without letting them know. They would then keep the forms and use them to his or her advantage during an elective BGM; and
l Doctoring of bank statements to fraudulently extend the duration of one’s membership.
ANC leaders could face axe
The Daily Dispatch has leant that several branch secretaries and possibly senior regional leaders in the party’s troubled regions face suspension if found guilty of membership rigging.
They could be suspended as early as tomorrow.
This emerged as ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte is in the province to resolve disputes that have been lodged by a number of branches.
Duarte is the national executive committee (NEC) head of disputes.
She has been in the province since Tuesday listening and resolving disputes from different branches. She has met with branch members from at least four regions – BCM, OR Tambo, Chris Hani and Amathole.
She spent yesterday at the party’s regional offices in East London handling BCM disputes.
Of the 13 BCM branches which have held successful branch general meetings (BGMs) so far, Duarte received disputes and complaints from five.
ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said when more complaints started flooding into the party’s provincial office at Calata House by Tuesday evening, they asked Duarte to extend her stay by two more days.
This is to ensure that the BCM and OR Tambo disputes were resolved.
He said any member found involved in fraud will be subjected to a disciplinary process.
“We stated as the PEC earlier that such a person will be suspended immediately.
“Most BCM branches have yet to go to their BGMs, but some members were already registering complaints.
“But officials are busy sorting out all such irregularities and by the end of this week we will have records of how many legitimate complaints there are and how many have been resolved and most importantly who will be disciplined for having been involved in gatekeeping,” said Mabuyane.
Among those that have already complained to Duarte is Viwe Sidali, a member of the ANC in Duncan Village.
Sidali confirmed to the Dispatch that he went to Duarte on Tuesday after a faction continued with an elective meeting at his branch even though it had been called off after the lights at the venue had gone off.
“Eight people, whose ANC membership was less than two years, were elected as branch leaders,” said Sidali.
According to ANC rules a person cannot serve as a branch leader unless they have been a member of the party for two years.
Duarte’s visit to East London was met with mixed reaction yesterday.
While busy engaging in a lengthy all-day meeting with disgruntled branches inside the Oxford Street regional office, more than 200 members of the ANC – mostly from the two dominant factions – demonstrated outside.
They danced while singing pro and anti Buffalo City region secretary Pumlani Mkolo songs.
Mkolo is one of the accused in the Nelson Mandela funeral funds scandal.
Also seen among the crowd were councillors Ayanda Peter, Siyabonga Jabavu and Sindiswa Gomba.
Duarte is expected to visit Mthatha today to handle disputes from OR Tambo region branches.
Fraud cases registered with Duarte so far include:
lBulk buying of membership where an individual buys membership on behalf of a number of people without letting them know. They would then keep the forms and use them to his or her advantage during an elective BGM; and
l Doctoring of bank statements to fraudulently extend the duration of one’s membership.
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