ANC members say North West High Court ruling vindicates their position that IPC is an ‘illegal structure’

File picture: Molaole Montsho

File picture: Molaole Montsho

Published Aug 13, 2022

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Disgruntled ANC members who successfully interdicted the party’s North West Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) from voting in the 9th elective conference say the North West High Court ruling has vindicated their position that the structure is “illegal”.

This comes after the North West High Court ruled that 20 members of the party interim leadership structure, led by Hlomani Chauke and Susan Dantjie, could not vote because their term of office had expired.

In his judgment, Judge Frances Snyman said allowing the IPC to oversee the 9th provincial elective conference and vote would be a breach of the law.

He did not give reasons but said parties can apply to get them.

The ruling followed an application by Tshepo Bosman, from one of the aggrieved branches in Matlosana (formerly Klerksdorp), who approached the court for intervention.

They accused the IPC of being a player and referee because most of its leaders were also candidates for leadership positions in the provincial conference.

The affected parties include Chauke; incumbent Premier Bushy Maape; Nono Maloyi; MEC for Economic Development Kenetswe Mosenogi and Finance MEC Motlalepule Rosho. Maape, Maloyi, Chauke, Mosenogi, Themba Gwabeni and former provincial chairperson and premier Supra Mahumapelo are all vying for the chairperson position.

Gabriel Mqikela, one of the ANC branch leaders in Matlosana, welcomed the outcome of the court case.

The group also accused the IPC and the provincial dispute resolution committee of being a player and referee in dealing with irregularities in the nomination of delegates ahead of the conference.

“The court ruling does not affect our interim regional committee. We are going to participate at our conference. It is prohibiting the IPC from participating in the voting process. This confirms our view that the IPC is illegal,” Mqikela said.

Mqikela was part of a group of disgruntled members who marched to the ANC headquarters, Luthuli House in June demanding the disbandment of the IPC. They accused the structure, put in place by the ANC national executive committee, of manipulating the outcomes of branch general meetings held to elect conference delegates.

Moments after the ruling, ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said that his party noted the North West High Court ruling.

“We have instructed our legal team to investigate options at our disposal to deal with the matter and advise the NEC accordingly. We are hopeful that our intervention will find a positive outcome. Despite this decision, the conference is continuing because the court didn’t interdict the conference but rather the voting powers of IPC members,” Mabe said.

The ANC was expected to file court papers challenging the North West High Court ruling.

The party said the conference would continue despite the court outcome because Bosman interdicted the IPC from voting but not the conference itself.

After being postponed three times, the North West ANC elective conference started at the Rustenburg Civic Centre on Friday.

A total of 1 200 delegates are expected to attend including 800 voting delegates.

ANC deputy president David Mabuza is expected to officially open the elective conference this afternoon.

Pretoria News

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