eThekwini ANC branches claim sabotage by regional task team ahead of crucial conference
The KwaZulu-Natal eThekwini ANC regional task team has denied sabotaging conference preparations.
Image: Matthews Baloyi / Independent Newspapers
Supporters of Thabani Nyawose and Nkosenhle Madlala in eThekwini are accusing the ANC's regional task teams (RTT) of deliberately undermining conference preparations.
They allege this sabotage is intended to allow the RTTs to remain in control, leading up to the local government elections.
eThekwini, a major region in the country, faces a significant challenge in meeting its elective conference deadline of April 7, as stipulated by the roadmap.
With only one or two out of 111 branches having successfully elected new leadership, concerned party members view it as highly improbable that the region will meet this deadline.
Both Nyawose, the current council Speaker, and Madlala, council Executive Committee member and chairperson of the Governance and Human Resources Committee, are expected to contest for the influential chairperson position.
A lobbyist for Madlala, speaking anonymously, claims that a scheme has been uncovered wherein the task team leadership is deliberately impeding conference preparations.
This is allegedly due to the members' fear of losing the election. Their true aim, the lobbyist stated, is to retain power to
“Babaleka neconference laba (they are running away with the conference) because no branches want their slate,” said the member.
Nyawose’s chief lobbyist, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said they have been wondering why branches and regions in other provinces are holding conferences, with the exception of eThekwini.
“All different parts of the country are convening branch general meetings, zones, sub-regional conferences, particularly outstanding provinces such as the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, North West, and Limpopo, as they are 70; however, nothing is moving in KwaZulu-Natal, particularly in eThekwini.
“Last week, branches were told to forget about the regional conference. Clearly, this is an act of desperation by those who want to cling to power to manipulate local government processes by bullying and alienating those who are not in support of them,” said the leader.
He further stated that some people in the current task team were election coordinators during the 2024 general elections, which saw the ANC being brought to its knees in eThekwini, and it only got 11%.
“Their priority now is wanting to install their own ward councillor candidates that do not resonate with communities, and also become PR (public representative) councillors themselves. All of that is about them and their agenda of self-enrichment in sustaining their expensive lifestyles, and nothing about building and renewing the ANC. If they are not stopped now, then we must all just sit at home and forget about the ANC we love so much, as there is no other home we know of,” concluded the leader.
The party’s spokesperson in eThekwini, Thinta Cibane, denied these claims, saying there has been no reflection, decision, or indication that the RTT is attempting to suppress or interfere with the democratic processes of the ANC.
“We, therefore, call on all members and structures of the movement to avoid rumour-mongering, speculation, and divisive tendencies, particularly as we approach an important political period that includes preparations for local government elections.”