With the ANC’s regional elective conferences’ silly season in full swing, many incidents of what the party termed ill-discipline, including violent confrontations between comrades, have been recorded in regions and party branches across the province.
In some cases, comrades have ended up in hospital with broken arms and breathing problems.
Six ANC provincial regions are due to hold their elective conferences in the next few weeks.
The Chris Hani region had theirs last week, at which a new leadership collective chaired by Lusanda Sizani was elected unopposed.
Only the ANC’s Amathole region will not hold a conference in 2025 as theirs is due only next year.
Regions holding conferences include Dr WB Rubusana in Buffalo City Metro, where a number of party branches have already lodged disputes relating to how their branch general meetings to elect new leadership were conducted.
The Rubusana region is scheduled to hold its elective conference between July 4 and 6.
The party leadership says disturbing incidents, contrary to ANC policies, have been observed in all regions.
While numerous attempts to reach provincial ANC secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi for comment on Tuesday were unsuccessful, the Dispatch has seen correspondence he sent to party regions and members recently, highlighting some of the shenanigans encountered in preparation for the congresses.
Ngcukayitobi wrote that the party was deeply concerned about what he called the “militarisation of the ANC”, where armed bouncers were used as gatekeepers to ANC meetings.
He confirmed there had been cases in some regions where comrades physically assaulted each other.
Some of the incidents included comrades running away with BGM packages (delegate forms) and scanners, and instances where party leaders from upper structures undermined branch delegates and tried to force them to vote for specific candidates in their meetings.
“Uncalled-for elements” continued to be identified from the processes, Ngcukayitobi said.
Incidents included usurpation of branch powers, “where leaders, especially regional executive committee and regional task team members deployed to branch biennial general meetings and BGMs, often usurp branch powers”.
“This overreach undermines the authority of the branch and creates conflicts as it is in direct contrast with the adopted guidelines for conferences,” Ngcukayitobi said.
“Certain branches are deliberately avoiding convening pre-branch general meetings before the general meetings to disadvantage and limit information to the rest of members.
“The provincial executive committee has noted instances of ill-discipline during branch general meetings including physical altercations between comrades.
“These incidents highlight the need for better management and oversight by deployees of the upper structures to these meetings, and these must be reported so they can be dealt with in line with the ANC code of conduct.”
Ngcukayitobi said anyone physically threatening or attacking members in a meeting should be immediately suspended from the organisation.
There was also a tendency to have armed bouncers “for the purpose of intimidating ANC members and purging members who have different views from the incumbent responsible for co-ordinating the ANC meetings”.
Saying this was against the ethos of the ANC’s renewal programme, he said: “No meeting must be manned by gun-throttling security personnel.”
If there was a potential threat, police should be called.
He warned that disruptive members at branch level could be disciplined.
While about 30 ANC branches in the Buffalo City Metro had tried to hold their BGMs recently, only 15 were convened without any disruptions or disputes.
Disputes had been lodged in wards 4, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 24, 25, 30, 31, 36, 37, 42, 44 and 46.
Insiders said in Ward 30 in Mdantsane on Monday, pepper spray was allegedly used on members by private security personnel.
This had caused pain and distress, and some members had to be admitted to Cecilia Makiwane Hospital with broken arms and breathing problems.
Things were similar in Ward 13 in Reeston on Sunday, where some party members had to be rushed to the nearby Empilweni healthcare centre in Gompo.
The Dispatch has seen video footage of several incidents at some BCM ANC meeting venues at which party members are seen physically assaulting and insulting each other.
One BCM ANC member said on Tuesday: “These are pure elections of the stomach. Strong-arm tactics are being used to wrestle power by any means.
“Desperation is at an all-time high and that is a deep concern for our region.”
Daily Dispatch
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