ANC leaders seek to calm tensions over Skwatsha

The top six members of the ANC, including President Jacob Zuma, have this week spent days listening to ANC groups who appealed against the processes of the Western Cape provincial conference, which former chairperson Mcebisi Skwatsha had declared “fraudulent”.

Deputy international relations minister Marius Fransman was elected unopposed as the chairperson of the Western Cape African National Congress after his rival Skwatsha refused to stand for nomination as a result of alleged irregularities at the conference.

The top six members will prepare a report on the controversial issue for the national executive committee, according to ANC members who attended a meeting.

“They really listened to us and spent hours with each group, even though we know they are really busy people,” said an ANC member who asked not to be named.

Vote ‘favoured Fransman’
“Today [Thursday] will be the fourth day that they are holding meeting with the groups who appealed the process. We really do get the impression that they want to improve things in the Western Cape, and we feel heard.”

The row over the conference began after some delegates disputed the decision by the ANC’s constitutional committee to allow the party’s youth league 23 votes.

The league in the province was disbanded last year, and league provincial task team sources claimed that the secretary general of the ANC, Gwede Mantashe, had been present at an ANC meeting where it was decided that the youth league should not vote.

The Swatsha supporters were angered by the fact that it was decided at the conference to take a vote on whether the youth league should vote—and allowed the youth league to also vote on the matter. This is said to have favoured Fransman, as the youth league delegates were said to be supporting him.

While Zuma had caused waves when he addressed the provincial conference and criticised delegates for failing to not only regain the province from the Democratic Alliance, but also for not working as a functioning opposition party, this week he rushed from Cabinet to attend meetings with the groups who had appealed against the processes in the Western Cape.