Hundreds of ANC members from the OR Tambo region marched to the party’s offices in Mthatha yesterday demanding the national leadership reconvene its regional conference.
The OR Tambo protest by members of all of its five sub-regions, follows another in the Buffalo City Metro region, where ANC branches marched to Calata House in King William’s Town, demanding the region’s upcoming regional conference be halted.
The OR Tambo region’s main grievance was that the conference which elected the current leadership of the region, was not credible.
The protesters claimed that three wards should not have participated in the conference as details of deceased people had appeared on attendance registers at their branch general meetings and annual general meetings.
The Daily Dispatch has previously reported that two branches – ward 8 in Port St John’s and ward 24 in Mhlontlo – had recorded details of three deceased people at both meetings.
The Dispatch had also spoken to relatives of the deceased individuals.
Though affidavits and death certificates were submitted during the conference, proceedings, these credentials were still adopted.
The marchers demanded the ANC leadership take disciplinary action against provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle, whom they accuse of having included three branches that allegedly did not qualify to be part of the conference.
The crowd of about 1000 protesters called on Masualle and provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane to step down.
Mhlontlo’s ward 22 branch secretary Baxolile Kulu said the branches would give the provincial and national executive committees (PEC and NEC) 14 days to respond to their grievances.
He said the group had written to both the office of the provincial secretary and national ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, but had not received any response.
Mabuyane said the protest was “blatant mischief” as the branches who had disputes would be addressed by a team led by NEC member Derek Hanekom.
“ Members of the ANC know that ANC matters are for the ANC, not for the public.”
Mabuyane claimed some councillors were behind the protests in order to advance their own interests regarding the list conferences.
“No chairperson will be disciplined. He did not do anything wrong,” he said.
The group also wants the NEC to take over the local government list processes from the PEC and that disciplinary action be taken against those who allegedly manipulated councillor lists ahead of the 2011 local government elections.
ANC marchers reject OR Tambo conference
The OR Tambo protest by members of all of its five sub-regions, follows another in the Buffalo City Metro region, where ANC branches marched to Calata House in King William’s Town, demanding the region’s upcoming regional conference be halted.
The OR Tambo region’s main grievance was that the conference which elected the current leadership of the region, was not credible.
The protesters claimed that three wards should not have participated in the conference as details of deceased people had appeared on attendance registers at their branch general meetings and annual general meetings.
The Daily Dispatch has previously reported that two branches – ward 8 in Port St John’s and ward 24 in Mhlontlo – had recorded details of three deceased people at both meetings.
The Dispatch had also spoken to relatives of the deceased individuals.
Though affidavits and death certificates were submitted during the conference, proceedings, these credentials were still adopted.
The marchers demanded the ANC leadership take disciplinary action against provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle, whom they accuse of having included three branches that allegedly did not qualify to be part of the conference.
The crowd of about 1000 protesters called on Masualle and provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane to step down.
Mhlontlo’s ward 22 branch secretary Baxolile Kulu said the branches would give the provincial and national executive committees (PEC and NEC) 14 days to respond to their grievances.
He said the group had written to both the office of the provincial secretary and national ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, but had not received any response.
Mabuyane said the protest was “blatant mischief” as the branches who had disputes would be addressed by a team led by NEC member Derek Hanekom.
“ Members of the ANC know that ANC matters are for the ANC, not for the public.”
Mabuyane claimed some councillors were behind the protests in order to advance their own interests regarding the list conferences.
“No chairperson will be disciplined. He did not do anything wrong,” he said.
The group also wants the NEC to take over the local government list processes from the PEC and that disciplinary action be taken against those who allegedly manipulated councillor lists ahead of the 2011 local government elections.
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