ANC online membership system encounters opposition in Mpumalanga

A delegate holds an ANC flag while attending the party's national elective conference in Mangaung back in 2012. Picture:Werner Beukes/SAPA

A delegate holds an ANC flag while attending the party's national elective conference in Mangaung back in 2012. Picture:Werner Beukes/SAPA

Published May 13, 2021

Share

Durban - While the ANC’s new membership online registration system was introduced to eliminate gatekeeping, the gatekeepers have come up with new ways to deny new members from joining the ruling party.

According to an internal party memo, the practice is rife in the troubled Ehlanzeni region in Mpumalanga and the coordinator of the regional task team, Phazamisa Mathe, has had to intervene in writing before the members who joined the party online could be allowed to take part in branch general meetings (BGMs).

According to a letter dated May 11, 2021 and addressed to branches and their leaders, they have been alerted that some branches were not allowing new members to take part in meetings.

Mathe pleaded with those denying new members access to meetings to cease doing so or face the wrath of the ruling party

“All BECs and BTTs are asked to demand all branch secretaries and scribes to accept membership who have joined the organisation. It has been confirmed by the region that there are branch secretaries and scribes who are resisting, refusing to approve members who have joined the organisation in the ANC new membership system on their own.

“They claim that such comrades belong to other members and we are saying as the region that all comrades who join the ANC do not belong to individuals as the ANC belongs to the people. All branch secretaries and scribers who do not want to accept membership are going to be exposed and as their conduct is (meant to) undermine the resolutions of the ANC and they will be held responsible and disciplinary measures are going to be instituted against them,” Mathe wrote in the letter.

He further warned that defying these instructions would be in breach of the ruling party’s resolutions which should be respected by all.

“All branch Secretaries and Scribes who do not want to present the membership list during BEC, BTT and Pre-BGMs meetings for membership verification by members are violating the ANC guidelines on conferences and they are going to be exposed and will be liable for disciplinary measures as they undermine their mandate and membership role as custodian of membership. All comrades who are affected by the ward demarcation and are to be transferred, all branches  Secretaries and Scriber must accept them as soon as their transfer is confirmed or completed.

“No resistance is expected from Secretaries and Scriber as custodian of membership. As an Organisation, this is a final warning to all those cdes (comrades) to make sure that they serve every member in their respective branches and do away with factional battles as this affects the organisation. We are going to monitor such processes on daily basis and we call upon all members who are affected to feel free and report this challenges (sic) without fear as the ANC belongs to them while they are the members of the organisation.”

Mathe confirmed the authenticity of the letter during a telephonic interview he had with Independent Media on Thursday. He said while the matter was an internal one, they are dealing with the challenges and they are happy that everyone is cooperating and the new members would be accepted.

He stressed that the objectives of the new system are to grow the ANC by allowing as many people as possible to join it.

POLITICAL BUREAU

Related Topics:

ANC