Durban – Cyril Ramaphosa’s bid for a second term as ANC president continues to face some hurdles as the victory of his backers in the Eastern Cape and Tshwane (Pretoria) is being legally challenged.
On Wednesday some disgruntled ANC members in Tshwane wrote to Paul Mashatile, the acting secretary-general, challenging the victory of Eugene Modise.
In a letter from Avela Nontso Attorneys who are acting on behalf of Nelson Lubisi, Lydia Morethe and Solomon Sedibeng written to Mashatile and copied to several office-bearers and the Gauteng ANC leadership, they claim that the conference held over the weekend was unlawful.
They allege that there were 32 branches from the Tshwane Region that did not qualify to participate in The Greater Tshwane 11th Regional Conference that was held from June 3 to 5, 2022 at the Indaba Hotel in Joburg.
NEWS: Cyril Ramaphosa's bid for a second term as ANC president continues to face hurdles as victories for his backers in E.Cape & Tshwane are being challenged. Yesterday disgruntled members in Tshwane wrote to Paul Mashatile challenging the victory of Eugene Modise. @DailyNewsSA
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 9, 2022
“This was despite the fact that the branches did not qualify because their BGMs/BBGMs were not properly constituted in terms of the adopted ANC guidelines for regional and provincial conferences… We are further instructed that these 32 branches constituted roughly 80 delegates who attended the regional conference.
“Furthermore, our instructions are that there were numerous other branches that were excluded from participating in the Regional Conference despite the fact that they successfully appealed against their exclusion to the provincial dispute resolution committee,” says the lawyer’s letter.
The disgruntled members said the exclusion of the branches and the participation of the 32 unlawfully constituted branches at the conference rendered the 11th Greater Tshwane Regional Conference unlawful, irregular and invalid.
Therefore, it falls to be set aside together with its outcomes.
“We are therefore instructed to request an undertaking from yourselves by no later than close of business on Monday June 13, 2022, that due to the above-mentioned, that you will declare the results of Greater Tshwane Regional Conference invalid... Failure to adhere to the above-mentioned undertaking will leave us with no option but to approach the High Court on an urgent basis to set aside the outcome of the conference,” concludes the letter.
Prior to the Tshwane letter from lawyers, on Monday Mashatile’s office was served with another letter from the Eastern Cape.
The letter came from a Makangela Mtungani law firm which was acting on behalf of Ondela Sokomani from ward 22 (Nonyamezele Mxenge branch) of the WB Rubusana region.
Sokomani argues that the conference was tainted by irregularities that were committed just before it was convened.
The outcome of the conference was a major boost for Ramaphosa as his ally, Oscar Mabuyane, who is tainted by corruption allegations, was elected to power, defeating Babalo Madikizela.
Among the issues that were raised was the participation of some branches from the Chris Hani region and the barring of 14 branches from the OR Tambo region from taking part in the conference.
“Our instructions are therefore to demand, as we hereby do, that you provide us with undertaking within 10 working days from the date of receipt of hereof that all the purported outcomes of the unlawful conference held on May 6 to 9, 2022 at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in East London will be nullified, that you shall be organising a legitimate conference with all processes being observed to the latter,” says the letter served to the ANC on behalf of Sokomani.
ANC national spokesperson, Pule Mabe, is yet to confirm whether or not they received these letters.
Daily News