A number of chaotic ANC branch meetings in the Buffalo City Metro, meant to elect new branch leaders and nominate possible regional leaders ahead of the much anticipated Dr WB Rubusana elective conference, are set for a rerun.
This after the branches successfully lodged disputes with the provincial ANC amid claims of irregularity on how their branch biennial general meetings (BBGMs) and branch general meetings (BGMs) were conducted.
While some regional leaders had been implicated by the provincial ANC probe into the chaos that took place when party members had a first bite at electing leaders, many other irregularities were highlighted in some branches as the reasons for them to rerun their BGMs.
This is according to confidential letters sent to affected branches by the party’s provincial secretary, Lulama Ngcukayitobi, recently, after the party’s provincial disputes resolution committee (PDRC) had probed the submitted complaints.
While the date for the sitting of the Rubusana regional conference is yet to be determined, four other provincial regions are due for their elective conferences in 2025.
They are Alfred Nzo, Joe Gqabi, Nelson Mandela Bay and Sarah Baartman.
Only the Chris Hani and OR Tambo regions have so far managed to host successful elective conferences, while the Amathole region is not due for elections in 2025.
In a revised road map to regional conferences document tabled during the party’s provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting on Monday, it was revealed that 26 of the metro’s 50 ANC branches had lodged appeals.
Of the 26 appeals, 11 were dealt with and finalised by the PDRC, while five more appeals were pending, 10 outstanding and six escalated to the party’s national dispute resolution committee (NDRC).
While a number of ANC insiders, who did not want to be named, confirmed that eight of the metro’s ANC branches are set for reruns, this could not be independently verified by the time of publication.
Ngcukayitobi could not be reached for comment on Wednesday, while the provincial ANC’s communication committee chair, Balungile Sapo, did not respond to questions that were sent.
However, the Dispatch has seen four letters sent by Ngcukayitobi to branches, ordering a rerun of their BBGMs and BGMs.
In one instance, at a ward in Mdantsane, two unnamed Dr WB Rubusana regional task team (RTT) members, residing in the ward, were implicated by the province in the chaos that erupted at that branch meeting in May.
This was after they had been caught on video allegedly manipulating processes.
“The PDRC, having considered both submissions of the appellants and those of the branch executive committee (BEC), made a determination that the appellants were able to prove that the convening of the BBGM/BGM was unconstitutional, riddled with irregularities and against the adopted guidelines for conferences ...
“Furthermore, the PDRC noted that the intention to adjourn the meeting was not adequately canvassed among branch members, and the meeting was adjourned and reconvened on the same day without a BEC meeting to resolve the matter, instead an RTT member residing [in the ward] spearheaded the process without proper authority as she was not deployed to the branch,” Ngcukayitobi wrote.
“The PDRC observed that chaotic scenes erupted on the day of the meeting, and the police had to be called to disperse members, an observation which was not refuted by both parties, appellants and respondents, and that indicates a significant level of disorder and instability.”
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The PRDC, Ngcukayitobi said, had since resolved to uphold the appeal and nullify the outcomes of the May BGM, with the province directing that the branch meeting be reconvened.
In another ward in Duncan Village, the provincial ANC ordered a rerun after a number of “irregularities and procedural flaws”, including the exclusion of some BEC members from the process, were identified.
While some of the lodged appeals had since been dismissed, appeal verdicts were yet to be delivered for some of the aggrieved wards.
Appeals for ward 21, 33, 42, 43 and 45 were heard virtually on Thursday last week, with their outcomes still pending.
The region’s co-ordinator, Antonio Carels, declined to comment on Wednesday, and referred questions to Ngcukayitobi’s office.
Addressing a PEC meeting this week, provincial ANC chair Oscar Mabuyane bemoaned the shenanigans taking place at ANC branchesng that and said that the province would launch a probe.
“We are once again experiencing disruptive tendencies of gatekeeping and manipulation of both membership and structures of the ANC.
“Beneath the surface lie weak and dysfunctional membership system structures that are affecting membership of the ANC.
“We are witnessing a high level of ill-discipline, hence the many disputes and appeals that have emerged,” Mabuyane said.
Daily Dispatch
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