The process of nominating ANC members who will be deployed to the National Assembly and the Bhisho legislature after 2019’s general and provincial elections has already started.
And for the first time in its history, the ANC wants at least 20% of its MPs and MPLs to be 35 or younger.
ANC members from across the province are busy nominating their preferred candidates to be MPs and MPLs.
ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said the nominating branch meetings started in earnest last weekend.
“The cut-off date for all branches in good standing to nominate is October 21,” he said.
The guidelines state that each branch should nominate 20 names, to be included as ruling party candidates for the National Assembly (national to national); the national council of provinces (province to national) and provincial legislatures (province to province).
Ngcukayithobi said the branch nominations would be reconciled when the party held its provincial list conference in November.
This is where all the enclosed nomination lists from each branch will be tabled and those who make the cut will be listed according to the number of votes they receive in each category of deployment.
The higher on the list the better for each candidate, as the number of people who make the cut for each party will be calculated in relation to the total number of votes the party secures at the polls.
“As the list committee, we have recommended that the provincial list committee be held on November 10 and 11.
“But that is subject to the provincial executive committee endorsing our recommendation,” said Ngcukayitobi.
When nominating members, branches will have to consider a 50/50 gender balance, the new requirement to include at least 20% candidates who are under 35, a 50% continuity quota and a 30% skill quota.
“The 20% quota to accommodate young people will be effected for the first time in the ANC’s history as the ruling party,” he said.