Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
Pretoria - The ANC leadership in Mpumalanga plans to go back to the drawing board after losing ward 11 of the Nkomazi Local Municipality to EFF member Mafia Fane, who is now councillor.
Although the by-elections took place towards the end of October, the provincial executive committee (PEC) discussed the matter during an ordinary meeting meant to deal with various political matters.
“The PEC received a report on the state of the elections machinery in the province since local government elections in 2021.
“The noticeable trend is the declining voter turnout and the declining ANC voting patterns. This trend, according to the PEC, requires urgent attention,” said ANC provincial secretary Muzi Chirwa.
Chirwa said the PEC resolved to convene an election strategy meeting encompassing all ANC elections structures and their alliance partners.
“The PEC further resolved to review some of the local election team co-ordinators due to reasons of performance and other political considerations.
“The changes on local election team co-ordination are effected in Govan Mbeki, Lekwa, Msukaligwa, Mkhondo, Chief Albert Luthuli, Steve Tshwete, Thembisile Hani, Thaba Chweu and Nkomazi,” he said.
“The PEC further reflected on our under-performance in the Nkomazi ward 11 by-election. The loss of Nkomazi ward 11 to the opposition party requires serious introspection and self-criticism.
“The PEC resolved that the provincial working committee should visit Nkomazi for accountability and assessment of progress on service delivery,” Chirwa said.
According to the PEC, they are yet to face by-elections in Govan Mbeki ward 25, Nkomazi ward 4 and Mkhondo wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 13, 15, 16, 18 and 19. “The Mkhondo ward vacancies is as a result of the dismissal of five ward councillors, one death and three wards whose councillors have decided to take other employment,” Chirwa explained.
During the ward 11 by-election, Fane received an overwhelming 1 662 votes while the ANC received 993. An independent candidate received 223.
The PEC also reflected on the state of branch general meeting (BGM) sittings in the province.
“The PEC received and noted the progress report on convening of the BGMs towards the 55th national conference in December 2022. The report indicated the challenges in some branches on convening the BGMs.
“Some of the challenges are intrinsic in nature, emanating from functionality of QR codes and scanning problems. There are branches that suffer quorum problems and those that are deliberately disrupted by some ANC members,” said Chirwa.
He said that 225 of the 361 general meetings had already sat successfully.
However, the ANC condemned violence around the Kanyamazane area.
“As the ANC is preparing for the 55th national conference, branches are progressing very well, however the horrendous act of violence which happened in Kanyamazane must be cracked and the perpetrators be brought to book.
“The PEC noted with great concern the acts of intimidation and violence in Kanyamazane, which has left one person dead, one injured and damage to some vehicles.
“There is no amount of discontent or disagreement which should make members of the ANC to attack and fight one another. The ANC extends words of condolence to the family of the deceased,” Chirwa said.
Pretoria News