Forty-two former members of the United Democratic Movement and the United Christian Democratic Party joined the Africa National Congress in the North West on Saturday.
Provincial ANC spokesperson Sam Makaila said the majority of the new members were from the UCDP’s women’s league.
”The new members are joining the ANC because they believe we have the correct programme to change society and the immediate conditions where they live,” Makaila told Sapa.
He said the 42 were joining the party ”voluntarily” without intentions of financial or material gain.
”According to the constitution of ANC, the organisation does not allow new members to hold any positions after joining. You need to have been with the ANC for a year to be in the branch executive committee, for example,” said Makaila.
He said the new members, who were welcomed at a ceremony held at Mabieskraal near Rustenburg, would take their oath of membership at the branches they would be serving.
Arrangements were being made to organise a workshop that would ”properly induct” the new members into the ANC.
”We are bringing in people with different experiences and maybe baggage from where they come from. Therefore it’s very important that they are formally inducted into the politics of the ANC so that they know what they have committed themselves to and also to avoid clashes,” said Makaila. – Sapa