Kimberley – The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) on Tuesday condemned the disruption of the ANC’s provincial lekgotla, after ANC members, who are split in their support for the incoming leadership, fought with each other outside the venue on Monday.
Infighting between factions supporting Premier Sylvia Lucas and those who want ANC provincial secretary Zamani Saul to be elected as the incoming ANC provincial chairperson, also prevented branch general meetings from continuing on Monday evening.
ANC members stated that the branch general meetings (BGMs) would have to be reconvened before the end of the week.
“The same thugs who threw rocks at us and were armed with sheep shears and pangas at the lekgotla, arrived at the BGMs,” the members said.
Concerns have been raised that the processes to elect delegates to vote for the incumbent ANC provincial leaders, may not be completed in time for the elective provincial conference, which is scheduled for March 8 to 12.
ANCYL provincial secretary, Neo Maneng, stated that the provincial lekgotla was intentionally sabotaged.
“This is a very important official gathering of the ANC in the Province. The disruption of a provincial lekgotla is therefore tantamount to a sabotage of service delivery. It is our belief that those who staged the disruption are aware of this, which begs the question of what is the level of severity of their grievances?"
“We want to urge the leadership of the ANC to probe and get to the bottom of the root causes of the disgruntlement displayed by the members who disrupted the provincial lekgotla. No effort should be spared in resolving the apparent dispute highlighted by the members who disrupted the provincial lekgotla,” said Maneng.
He urged members to refrain from disrupting official gatherings of the ANC.
“The ANCYL is aware that the period leading to the provincial conference can be littered with all manners of disputes, disagreements and confrontations. We urge the leadership to tread very carefully in dealing with organisational processes. No room should be left for manipulation, rigging and thuggery.
“We also want to issue a warning to all our members not to allow themselves to be used in factional battles leading up to the provincial conference.”
SACP provincial spokesperson, Patrick Bosiame, expressed his “utmost disgust” at the “acts of thuggery and criminality” that played out at the ANC provincial lekgotla.
“These acts of criminality must never be allowed in our movement. The ANC must take strong action against the perpetrators of violence and disunity.”