Cape Town - The newly installed ANC interim leadership in the province has drawn mixed reaction.
The committee announced is made up of a broad mix of people including from the disbanded provincial executive committee (PEC), the ANC Youth League, former ministers and MPs and MPLs.
The group has been tasked with taking the province to conference
in under nine months as well as uniting the regional and provincial leadership that has been a factional battlefield.
One of its problems was Marius Fransman, chairperson of the disbanded PEC, who was removed from the party after he was found guilty of misconduct for sexual harassment of a staff member. Also, the Dullah Omar region, the ANC’s largest in the province, was disbanded and the party had its worst performance at elections after securing only 28% of the votes.
To remedy the situation, former MP Lerumo Kalako will lead the interim committee as convener. Here are some of the other appointments:
Two former premiers, Ebrahim Rasool and his successor Lynn Brown, have returned as well as the two
former leaders of the disbanded PEC, former secretary Faiez Jacobs and acting chairperson, Khaya Magaxa who often locked horns at past PEC meetings.
Another blast from the past is Songezo Mjongile, who was the former provincial secretary, and was at odds with former PEC member Andile Lili at the height of Ses’Khona People’s Movement and had accused “some” ANC leaders of being behind an attempt on his life.
The inclusion of former treasurer Maurencia Gillion has also ruffled feathers after she was suspended and had her suspension revoked over the issue of a R1 million donation the party received before elections.
Political analyst Zweli Ndevhu said while the list appears inclusive, the real test would be whether they could work together.
He said because Jacobs and Magaxa were from the previous PEC, the question was whether they would be led by the two people, named as co-ordinator and convener, who had never led the province and had no history of leadership at this level.
“It will be interesting to see whether they will allow themselves to be led by new people or whether the factional battles will continue.”
The group has been criticised by the ANC’s alliance partner, the SACP, who labelled it as “old wine in a new bottle”.
“We believe that the list represents nothing but a recycle of all those who have been part of the declining ANC,” said the party’s spokesperson, Benson Ngqentsu.
“The credibility of some of these members is questionable. Some have actively plunged the movement into paralysis and, therefore, bringing them back will sink it even deeper into crisis. We believe that Gillion, the erstwhile provincial treasurer, was suspended by the then-provincial working committee, pending (disciplinary action), yet, we see her appointed.
“We call for her removal, together with other characters that destroyed the ANC from this list. Amongst the names in the list is the former minister of public enterprises (Brown).
“The leader of the alliance in the Western Cape is regressing and, for now, it is not ready to rally the working class and lead the national democratic revolution.”
The party’s youth league lauded the inclusion of young people in the team and hit back at the SACP.
“We take serious exception to ANC members who, when conditions are not favourable to them in the ANC, use alliance partners to perpetuate divisions and pettiness,” read their statement.
“These elements and tendencies reflect poor political education and the positioning of factional and self-interest before the unity and renewal of our beloved organisation.”