IN what seems to be an admission that the ANC Mpumalanga conference faces internal threats, treasurer general Paul Mashatile has warned against violent and disruptive members, and implored delegates to “let those who want to disrupt our conference not succeed”.
Addressing the opening day of the 13th Mpumalanga provincial conference at Emalahleni yesterday, Mashatile implored delegates to ensure that “those who prefer violence and intimidation find no space in our midst”.
The political gathering was marred by factional battles, with some of the aggrieved members approaching the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to challenge the legitimacy of the conference. Others quarrelled over accreditations, forcing provincial co-ordinator Lindiwe Ntshalintshali to intervene.
Mashatile also urged ANC members to isolate those who sowed disunity within the governing party, saying such troublemakers were responsible for the party’s electoral decline in both national and local government polls.
“Comrades, we are calling for maximum unity. We are calling for iron discipline. We are also calling for a steely determination to ensure that the ANC in this province emerges even stronger after this conference. Let those who want to disrupt our conference not succeed. Let those who prefer violence and intimidation find no space in our midst. Let them be isolated; and, let them face harsh consequences for their actions,” Mashatile said.
In a veiled attack on those who approached the court, Mashatile urged delegates to desist from factional battles and to help renew the ANC.
“Comrade delegates, we expect high revolutionary discipline. We expect of you to engage and debate issues robustly, without fear or favour. Even as we differ, we must do so in a comradely spirit. At all times we must remind ourselves that the ANC is our home. We know of no other home. Without our home we have nowhere to go. This conference must help dispel the myth that as ANC comrades, we cannot differ in a democratic way; that we only care about positions and material accumulation for ourselves,” he added.
Mashatile further called on party members to rebuild the ANC in the different communities, saying: “Comrades, we dare not fail nor tire in our quest to unite and renew the ANC. We know that the process of renewal and building unity will not be easy. There will be temporary set-backs. There will be push-backs, even from within our own ranks. But, we must soldier on. We must not give up.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that our movement is facing an existential crisis. We must act now to arrest this decline!”
Earlier, some former PEC members had thrown doubt on the future of the provincial conference by filing an urgent application to interdict it. Fakazi Shongwe, Francisco Vilanculo, Vusi Mabena and Edward Mahlangu claimed in their court papers that the ANC national working committee (NWC) had no powers to disband the PEC. They argued that only the party’s national executive committee (NEC) could take such a decision.
In court papers, they further claimed that the ANC provincial task team (PTT), led by Mandla Ndlovu, was illegally given the powers to organise the conference.
According to ANC NEC member Dakota Legoete, who spoke to the media alongside Mpumalanga ANC spokesperson Sasekani Manzini, the ANC was only served with the court papers last night.
"We went to the court on Friday at 10 [am]. The applicants were not ready. We provided the court with evidence of the mediation process we undertook with the applicants. We provided them with minutes of branch meetings leading up to the provincial conference. We demonstrated to the court that we had given all of them an opportunity to be heard. Some of them are just in denial," Legoete said.
He, however, said the ANC would accept the verdict if the court ruled against them.
It is understood that Mandla Ndlovu, who is the provincial convenor, provincial task team member Lucky Ndinisa, Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane and former provincial deputy chairperson David Dube are the contestants for the powerful position of provincial chairperson. Sources said Ntshalintshali is seeking re-election as provincial secretary.
Amid rising tensions, a heavy police contingent descended on the Emalahleni Civic Centre and the Witbank Dam, the main venue of the conference yesterday.
Armoured vehicles surrounded the town’s civic centre, while police and intelligence officers took positions in and around the venue.
The police deployment took place amid rising tensions between rival factions, and squabbles over accreditations for the delegates.
After the squabbles among delegates in the morning, security was beefed up in and around the conference venue. Police set up roadblocks on the main roads leading up to the Witbank Dam.
They stopped and searched all cars to ensure that only accredited delegates, guests and the media gained access to the venue. The K-9 unit of the police was also seen at the entrance of the dam.
The conference is expected to set the tone for the ANC national elective conference in December. President Cyril Ramaphosa will close it on Sunday.
Pretoria News