The second week of preparations for the highly contested Buffalo City ANC regional conference was marred with controversy when lights went off in the middle of an elective branch meeting in Duncan Village on Sunday night.
The drama occurred at about 8.30pm in Ward 6, which also covers Parkridge, Parkside and Luxolweni. The meeting was scheduled to elect a new branch executive.
BCM ANC deputy regional chairman Xola Phakathi confirmed yesterday that lights went off on Sunday, but that the “credentials for the meeting had already been adopted, and a new branch chairman had also been elected.
“When lights were on, we continued with the meeting as planned,” Phakathi said.
But outgoing branch executive committee member Viwe Sidali said their understanding was that the meeting had been called off, and some members had departed only to learn later that “a new executive was elected in our absence”.
“If that is the case we will lodge a dispute with the provincial and national executive committees of the ANC. No legitimate meeting can continue when there are no lights,” said Sidali.
Phakathi said anyone was welcome to lodge a dispute as per ANC rules and guidelines.
“The meeting said we must adjourn and reconvene immediately when there are lights.
“That was not my view, but that of the majority of those in attendance,” said Phakathi.
Peter Kiki, who was re-elected branch secretary by the remaining group, yesterday said Ward 6 had a new executive.
He said members who stayed through the darkness had nominated their top five for the regional executive committee (REC).
Those nominated are Phakathi for regional chairman, Luleka Simon-Ndzele for deputy chairwoman, Phumlani Mkolo for regional secretary, Mkhangeli Maleki for deputy secretary and Ncedo Kumbaca as regional treasurer.
If the meeting is declared valid, then Sidali’s ambitions to serve in the REC have been dealt a heavy blow.
The Daily Dispatch reported two months ago that Sidali had been listed in one of four lineups doing rounds, and that he was likely to contest as deputy regional secretary. But Kiki said Sidali had been rejected by his own branch,
Ward 6.
“We only heard about Viwe’s name in newspapers.
“His name was not even mentioned in our BGM . He is neither in our preferred lineup for the top five, nor will he be a delegate to the conference.
“The meeting put two names as branch delegates, myself and Tembalethu Chitha, the new branch chairman,” said Kiki.
This is the second chaotic ANC branch meeting since the party launched its first branch general meetings for the much-awaited elective conference two weeks ago.
Last Friday police had to be called in to defuse tensions at BCM’s Ward 13 in Reeston after disgruntled ANC members disrupted the BGM.
Members said they forced their way into the meeting and disrupted it, complaining they were not informed of the meeting.
Similar incidents happened in the King Sabata Dalindyebo and Mhlontlo subregions at the weekend, as rival faction members wrestled and scuffled causing the postponement of two ANC branch meetings.
The incidents come ahead of the OR Tambo regional conference in June and include:
lA branch chairman grabbing the attendance register and running away with rival members in pursuit;
lForms being torn up by drunk youths, and;
lMembers grabbing an envelope with deposit slips, membership fees and membership forms which then vanished.
Chaos mars ANC meetings
The drama occurred at about 8.30pm in Ward 6, which also covers Parkridge, Parkside and Luxolweni. The meeting was scheduled to elect a new branch executive.
BCM ANC deputy regional chairman Xola Phakathi confirmed yesterday that lights went off on Sunday, but that the “credentials for the meeting had already been adopted, and a new branch chairman had also been elected.
“When lights were on, we continued with the meeting as planned,” Phakathi said.
But outgoing branch executive committee member Viwe Sidali said their understanding was that the meeting had been called off, and some members had departed only to learn later that “a new executive was elected in our absence”.
“If that is the case we will lodge a dispute with the provincial and national executive committees of the ANC. No legitimate meeting can continue when there are no lights,” said Sidali.
Phakathi said anyone was welcome to lodge a dispute as per ANC rules and guidelines.
“The meeting said we must adjourn and reconvene immediately when there are lights.
“That was not my view, but that of the majority of those in attendance,” said Phakathi.
Peter Kiki, who was re-elected branch secretary by the remaining group, yesterday said Ward 6 had a new executive.
He said members who stayed through the darkness had nominated their top five for the regional executive committee (REC).
Those nominated are Phakathi for regional chairman, Luleka Simon-Ndzele for deputy chairwoman, Phumlani Mkolo for regional secretary, Mkhangeli Maleki for deputy secretary and Ncedo Kumbaca as regional treasurer.
If the meeting is declared valid, then Sidali’s ambitions to serve in the REC have been dealt a heavy blow.
The Daily Dispatch reported two months ago that Sidali had been listed in one of four lineups doing rounds, and that he was likely to contest as deputy regional secretary. But Kiki said Sidali had been rejected by his own branch,
Ward 6.
“We only heard about Viwe’s name in newspapers.
“His name was not even mentioned in our BGM . He is neither in our preferred lineup for the top five, nor will he be a delegate to the conference.
“The meeting put two names as branch delegates, myself and Tembalethu Chitha, the new branch chairman,” said Kiki.
This is the second chaotic ANC branch meeting since the party launched its first branch general meetings for the much-awaited elective conference two weeks ago.
Last Friday police had to be called in to defuse tensions at BCM’s Ward 13 in Reeston after disgruntled ANC members disrupted the BGM.
Members said they forced their way into the meeting and disrupted it, complaining they were not informed of the meeting.
Similar incidents happened in the King Sabata Dalindyebo and Mhlontlo subregions at the weekend, as rival faction members wrestled and scuffled causing the postponement of two ANC branch meetings.
The incidents come ahead of the OR Tambo regional conference in June and include:
lA branch chairman grabbing the attendance register and running away with rival members in pursuit;
lForms being torn up by drunk youths, and;
lMembers grabbing an envelope with deposit slips, membership fees and membership forms which then vanished.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos