Pretoria - The highly anticipated ANC North West elective conference is set to get under way in Rustenburg today amid legal threats to interdict it by those accusing the provincial leadership of manipulating the delegates lists.
While no legal action has been taken yet, convenor Hlomani Chauke was adamant that the conference, which ends on Sunday at the Rustenburg Civic Centre, would go ahead without any stumbling blocks.
The conference has been postponed several times, which forced the provincial leadership to miss the July deadline set down by the national office of the ANC, due to disputes in all four regions of the province.
However, Chauke was adamant that this time around the party and branches had found each other.
He told the media that the ANC’s national dispute resolution committee under Mduduzi Manana was still processing some of the outstanding disputes before some members could qualify to become delegates at the three-day conference.
According to Chauke, the registration of delegates will take place today while the official conference proceedings will begin tomorrow. ANC deputy president David Mabuza is expected to deliver the opening address.
The elective conference is expected to be highly contested, with six candidates having already indicated their intention to run for leadership.
They include former chairperson and premier Supra Mahumapelo, Premier Bushy Maape, Chauke, Nana Maloyi’s provincial task team member and Finance MEC Motlalepula Rosho, and the MEC for Economic Development, Kenetswe Mosenogi.
Meanwhile, Cosatu North West secretary Kopano Konopi said the convening of the conference was exciting considering that it would take place three years after the disbandment of the provincial executive committee, which was replaced by an interim provincial committee.
“We hope the ANC will use this opportunity to reflect on its position in the province and nationally and be able to come out of this conference with a renewed and improved outlook.
“The party should also take time to discuss policy issues which will propel the province forward and better the lives and the livelihood of the residents,” Konopi said.
He said the ANC should prioritise building strong branches which could champion issues of the communities and the workers.
“The party must build the capacity of the leadership and the membership to understand the history and principles of the organisation and its allies and develop a programme that will unite and renew the organisation at all levels, with the intention of combating factionalism, among other matters.”
Pretoria News