Johannesburg - The ANC says it expects 5 240 voting delegates to attend the party's elective conference next month with branch general meetings expected to be concluded by Wednesday.
ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe said 70% of branches across the country have held their BGMs. He said that due to issues some branches might encounter with holding meetings during the week, the party had agreed to have a grace period for the end of the weekend - with all BGMs to be concluded.
Even though the party needs 70% branches to be present at the conference for it to go ahead, Mantashe said the aim was to have 100% of branches present.
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He bemoaned the fighting that had taken place at some BGMs and said that this reflected badly on the party. Those who are not happy with outcomes of the meetings have 48 hours to lodge complaints.
ANC SG Gwede Mantashe; 5240 voting delegates are expected to attend the ANC elective conference next month. #ANCNEC
— Zintle (@ZintleMahlati) November 14, 2017
"The NEC condemns in the strongest terms reported incidents of violence at some of our BGMs and while they seem isolated, they nevertheless fly in the face of the discipline of the ANC. We further condemn the continued production and display of factional paraphernalia in ANC meetings and call on ANC members to desist from such practices," said Mantashe.
The number of delegates at the conference is 5240, and that number is made up of 90% branch delegates, 10% leagues, NEC, ex officio and Provincial Executive Committees.
On the violence of some branch meetings, Mantashe said he does not know how many BGMs have faced disputes, but that nine teams have been deployed to deal with disputes across the country.
Mantashe; ANC condemns the incidents of violence reported in some BGMs. Incidents do not reflect well for the ANC. #ANCNEC
— Zintle (@ZintleMahlati) November 14, 2017
On the announcement by the ANC Women’s League of its preferred top six, Mantashe said the league was just sharing its own preferred leadership as it had voting rights.