Durban - The ANC leadership in the Northern Cape has forced the John Taolo Gaetsewe region to halt its eagerly anticipated elective regional conference at the last minute, pending a final audit of branches by Luthuli House.
The regional conference of the troubled ANC region, which has been beset by infighting over positions and which was formerly known as Kgalakadi in Kuruman, was to be held this coming weekend.
However, in a sudden twist, the provincial secretary, Daluxolo “Deshi” Ngxanga directed the region to stop the conference until Luthuli House (the ANC’s national headquarters) had provided them with a final and audited list of branches eligible to send delegates to take part in it.
The Northern Cape held its provincial conference last year, and Zamani Saul, the provincial chairperson and premier, was re-elected with his top five.
An insider from the province said the John Taolo Gaetsewe region, one of the biggest regions of the province, went to the conference without a fully elected leadership. It was only able to send delegates from branches and there were no REC (regional executive committee) delegates as is usually the case with provincial conferences.
After several attempts to convene a regional conference, the province was able to set a date, only to be frustrated by the inability of Luthuli House to submit the final audit of branches on time.
Writing to Lebogang Motlhaping, the co-ordinator of the regional task team (RTT) that has been holding the fort in the absence of a full-time regional leadership that has been elected by branches, Ngxanga said that with the audit from Luthuli House outstanding the conference could not go ahead.
"Dear Cde (comrade) Lebogang Motlhaping, Trust that this mail finds you well. We have not yet received the final signed audit report from Luthuli House. The regional conference of John Taolo Gaestewe will therefore not be able to convene this coming weekend of 25-27 March 2022 as planned," Ngxanga opened his letter.
He then directed Motlhaping to make himself available for a meeting with the provincial leadership to map a way forward.
"You are advised to postpone the conference to 1-3 April 2022. The provincial officials will reflect on your readiness report on 28 March 2022. Both yourself and the convener are invited to the provincial officials’ meeting," he said in the letter.
Ngxanga did not comment when asked to give a preliminary date for the regional conference which has since been shelved.
It is worth noting that most regions with outstanding elective conferences across the country have picked up the same weekend of April 1-3 to convene their conferences so as to have enough time to resolve disputes ahead of their provincial conferences.
In KwaZulu-Natal, two of the six outstanding regions, eThekwini and Mzala Nxumalo (Zululand), will host their regional conferences on the same weekend. The provincial conference will be held in July this year.
Provinces with outstanding elective conferences include the Eastern Cape, Free State, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, the North West, Limpopo and the Western Cape.
Gauteng's regional conference will take place on the first weekend of June.
Political Bureau