ANC man in alleged gun threat over Magaung

An ANC supporter holds a flag of the ANC while the President Jacob Zuma addresses ANC Gauteng Cadre Assembly in Pretoria. Picture: Phill Magakoe

An ANC supporter holds a flag of the ANC while the President Jacob Zuma addresses ANC Gauteng Cadre Assembly in Pretoria. Picture: Phill Magakoe

Published Nov 20, 2012

Share

Johannesburg -

A prominent ANC member allegedly threatened to fetch his gun from a car and shoot his fellow comrades, following disagreements over nomination processes at one of Gauteng’s biggest branches.

The incident took place after a squabble erupted over claims that the audited membership list had been tampered with.

The meeting was said to have been characterised by tensions between supporters of President Jacob Zuma and those of his challenger, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.

They accused each other of using money to buy votes by organising braais and expensive whisky for the delegates.

It forced the postponement of the nomination process of the Adelaide Tambo branch, Olievenhoutbosch, in Tshwane for Sunday.

On Monday, the branch leadership visited Luthuli House to lodge a formal complaint.

This came amid allegations that a member of the City of Tshwane mayoral committee had promised people plum jobs and lucrative projects in the municipality if they nominated Motlanthe for the ANC presidency.

A member of the Adelaide Tambo branch, who is aligned with Motlanthe, allegedly lost his cool while the branch leadership was discussing how the nomination process would be dealt with.

According to Makhosini Nkosi, the member said: “I will go to my car and fetch a gun and shoot someone.”

This was after one of the leaders said members would have to produce their ID books and membership cards during the nomination process.

The man accused denied issuing such a threat, saying: “I don’t have a gun. I don’t know anything about that.”

Heated SMS exchanges between rival supporters, seen by The Star, suggested that the meeting at Ward 77 was tense. Members of the two camps pointed accusing fingers at one another.

“Dear CDE Mzwandile, your name was mentioned today in my branch that you are funding people [to] fight Maepa and go as further as threaten him! I am actually here in the area to face head-on those who must apparently get rid of me [sic],” read the SMS.

The member also denied he was the author of the threatening SMS.

Nkosi also claimed he received a phone call from an MMC in Tshwane persuading him to convince members to vote for Motlanthe.

Nkosi said they were promised jobs in return and that they would benefit from several projects in Tshwane.

“I put my phone on loudspeaker because I wanted other members to hear what the MMC was saying,” Nkosi said.

In another branch in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, the nomination processes had to be cancelled for the third time on Sunday because the branch decided to hold meetings at two difference venues.

This was allegedly because the numbers did not favour Zuma.

The legitimate meeting was supposed to take place at the Somalia Park informal settlement.

But the Zuma camp allegedly decided to hold a meeting in Villa Lisa, where branch members were treated to whisky, a braai and refreshments.

“They are trying to buy people’s votes. They tell people they are in charge and powerful and that’s why people must vote for them,” a member of the divided branch claimed.

The branch members claimed councillor Sarona Malope allegedly conducted door-to-door campaigns in the area offering people groceries and money.

Malope declined to comment, citing ANC communication rules.

[email protected]

The Star

Related Topics: