FORMER district mayor Sakhumzi Somyo made a clean sweep in the ANC’s Amathole regional conference yesterday, upping the stakes ahead of the party’s Eastern Cape conference next month.
Somyo defeated Fundile Gade in the race for the regional chairmanship by 169 to 124 votes, with the rest of his lineup winning the remaining four leadership positions by similar margins.
The current Amathole district mayor, Nomakhosazana Khonza, was elected deputy to Somyo and former Sasco leader Thembalethu Ntuthu is the new regional secretary.
Nkonkobe Mayor Anele Ntsangani was elected deputy secretary of the region and the new treasurer is Sheila Xego, who beat Amahlathi chief whip Nokuzola Mlahleki.
But it is the cold war between the region’s interim task team (IRT) and ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane that will determine the balance of forces at the provincial conference.
The IRT, led by Somyo, Khonza and Ntuthu, has been at loggerheads with Mabuyane’s office for more than a year now.
The region was due to elect leaders in 2011 but due to disputes over so-called parallel structures, each claiming to to be legitimate, the regional conference could not sit.
An 11th-hour postponement of the conference two weeks ago angered Somyo supporters, as some felt that Mabuyane was refusing to accept that Somyo enjoyed overwhelming support in the region.
Differences between the IRT and the ANC’s provincial office date back to preparations to the party’s elective conference in Mangaung in December.
Somyo and Ntuthu campaigned for then ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe to replace Jacob Zuma, though the ANC provincial general council (PGC) endorsed Zuma for a second term.
Not all of Somyo’s new leadership backed his opposition to Zuma in the run-up to Mangaung, however.
“This was an inclusive list,” Nthuthu said. “We’ve gone past the Mangaung differences.”
Mabuyane insisted his actions to resolve the Amathole impasse had been procedurally correct.
“I’ve done things above board, the IRT knows that fully well.
“Only nameless sources would spread such mischievous rumours,” he said.
He also denied that the outcome of this week’s conference would have any impact on how people vote at the provincial conference.
“Anyone who thinks that they would use the Amathole conference as a launching pad of some campaign is mistaken,” said Mabuyane.
Earlier indications were that the top four provincial office bearers would be returned unopposed at next month’s conference, but PEC sources now indicate that only provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle will be returned without a fight.
The Daily Dispatch has established from party sources that Mabuyane will face a challenge by Michael Peter from the Chris Hani region, while his deputy, Helen Sauls-August, and provincial treasurer Thandiswa Marawu will have to work to retain their jobs.
“All the other four positions below the chairman (Masualle) will be contested. These are views of branches on the ground,” said a PEC member.
The Nelson Mandela Regional leadership has already gone public and declared its support for Masualle’s second term.
The sources said Peter had support in the Amathole, OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo regions and in parts of Buffalo City.
A PEC member told the Dispatch that the provincial office had preferred Gade over Somyo, but Mabuyane said: “If anyone thinks that I would have sleepless nights because someone says the conference will be contested, they are mistaken. In the ANC it is healthy to have a contested conference .”
Peter refused to comment yesterday. —
Somyo takes the chair
Somyo defeated Fundile Gade in the race for the regional chairmanship by 169 to 124 votes, with the rest of his lineup winning the remaining four leadership positions by similar margins.
The current Amathole district mayor, Nomakhosazana Khonza, was elected deputy to Somyo and former Sasco leader Thembalethu Ntuthu is the new regional secretary.
Nkonkobe Mayor Anele Ntsangani was elected deputy secretary of the region and the new treasurer is Sheila Xego, who beat Amahlathi chief whip Nokuzola Mlahleki.
But it is the cold war between the region’s interim task team (IRT) and ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane that will determine the balance of forces at the provincial conference.
The IRT, led by Somyo, Khonza and Ntuthu, has been at loggerheads with Mabuyane’s office for more than a year now.
The region was due to elect leaders in 2011 but due to disputes over so-called parallel structures, each claiming to to be legitimate, the regional conference could not sit.
An 11th-hour postponement of the conference two weeks ago angered Somyo supporters, as some felt that Mabuyane was refusing to accept that Somyo enjoyed overwhelming support in the region.
Differences between the IRT and the ANC’s provincial office date back to preparations to the party’s elective conference in Mangaung in December.
Somyo and Ntuthu campaigned for then ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe to replace Jacob Zuma, though the ANC provincial general council (PGC) endorsed Zuma for a second term.
Not all of Somyo’s new leadership backed his opposition to Zuma in the run-up to Mangaung, however.
“This was an inclusive list,” Nthuthu said. “We’ve gone past the Mangaung differences.”
Mabuyane insisted his actions to resolve the Amathole impasse had been procedurally correct.
“I’ve done things above board, the IRT knows that fully well.
“Only nameless sources would spread such mischievous rumours,” he said.
He also denied that the outcome of this week’s conference would have any impact on how people vote at the provincial conference.
“Anyone who thinks that they would use the Amathole conference as a launching pad of some campaign is mistaken,” said Mabuyane.
Earlier indications were that the top four provincial office bearers would be returned unopposed at next month’s conference, but PEC sources now indicate that only provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle will be returned without a fight.
The Daily Dispatch has established from party sources that Mabuyane will face a challenge by Michael Peter from the Chris Hani region, while his deputy, Helen Sauls-August, and provincial treasurer Thandiswa Marawu will have to work to retain their jobs.
“All the other four positions below the chairman (Masualle) will be contested. These are views of branches on the ground,” said a PEC member.
The Nelson Mandela Regional leadership has already gone public and declared its support for Masualle’s second term.
The sources said Peter had support in the Amathole, OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo regions and in parts of Buffalo City.
A PEC member told the Dispatch that the provincial office had preferred Gade over Somyo, but Mabuyane said: “If anyone thinks that I would have sleepless nights because someone says the conference will be contested, they are mistaken. In the ANC it is healthy to have a contested conference .”
Peter refused to comment yesterday. —
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