Baldwin Ndaba and Mashudu Sadike
Pretoria - A heavy police contingent has descended on the Emalahleni Civic Centre as the ANC denies claims that its elective conference in Mpumalanga is under threat from one of the factions in the province.
Armoured vehicles surrounded the town’s civic centre this afternoon 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 who are expected to take part at the 13th provincial conference.
After the squabbles among delegates this morning, security was beefed up in and around the conference venue. Police set up roadblocks on the roads leading up to the Witbank Dam, the main venue of the conference.
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.
Members of the ANC chanting at Emalahleni Civic Centre ahead of the party's 13th Mpumalanga provincial conference. @MYANC #ANC #MpumalangaConference @IOL #Elections #Mpumalanga pic.twitter.com/jD2rpagCFF
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Despite these developments and the seemingly tighter security arrangements, the ANC said there were no threats whatsoever to the conference. Violence and disruption were not expected at all, said national executive committee (NEC) member Dakota Legoete and Mpumalanga ANC spokesperson Sasekani Manzini.
Addressing the media on Friday afternoon, the duo said the ANC could not take chances with security even though no threat existed.
Legoete said: "There won't be a festival of chairs. We are civlians and taxpayer's. We are entitled to security at the venue. The ANC is a legal entity it can sue and be sued if it doesn't ensure discipline and safety for guests and delegates at the conference venue.”
Legoete said the governing party made an application to the police to provide them with security. It was for that reason that there was a joint security apparatus between the police, intelligent services and ANC security in the vicinity of the conference venue.
He also indicated that the ANC opposed the interdict application by aggrieved party members who wanted to block the provincial conference this morning.
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 provincial executive committee (PEC.
In a letter, their legal representatives wrote: "We are instructed that the NWC had no prior express delegation of authority to disband the defunct Mpumalanga PEC. The PWC did not have the right to dissolve the PEC with certain identified individuals in the form of a provincial task team.”
According to Legoete, 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.
By afternoon today, the Mpumalanga provincial ANC had not started even though 80% of the delegates had been registered.
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.
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