Western Cape African National Congress dissidents on Friday displayed soccer-style red cards to condemn the actions of provincial executive committee (PEC) members during a protest at the ANC’s regional headquarters.
The red and yellow cards targeted provincial secretary Mcebisi Skwatsha, provincial chairperson James Ngculu and national executive committee (NEC) member Dr Zola Skweyiya, the NEC member responsible for the Western Cape.
”Mbeki must come down,” said toyi-toying members outside the Foretrust building housing the ANC provincial offices.
Nobuntu Nonja, one of the protest organisers, accused Skwatsha and members of the so-called Africanist lobby of ignoring problems in the 13 Khayelitsha wards after the PEC disciplined 10 party members, including four councillors, following a fracas at a party branch meeting a few weeks ago.
”They [the PEC] don’t want to solve our problems,” said Nonja, adding that the problems stem from the fact that the Khayelitsha dissidents were accused of being supporters of ANC Premier Ebrahim Rasool.
Ngculu, with the support of Skwatsha, recently took the ANC provincial chairperson post from Rasool in a hotly contested provincial election campaign marred by allegations of vote-rigging.
Protesters gathered on Friday after a letter to the NEC was sent to Luthuli House informing the leadership of problems, and an ultimatum to respond by Thursday was not heeded.
In the letter, disgruntled ANC members said they believed the suspension of the four city councillors was an attempt to ”sideline” those members and improve the chances of candidates who belonged to the Africanist faction in the local government elections.
Members of the ANC Khayelitsha branches described themselves as party members ”to the bone” but are concerned about factionalism.
Emphasising the possible damage to the ANC’s election chances during the forthcoming local elections, community leader Nomawethu Mosana said there are no ANC branches in Gugulethu, Goodwood or Constantia.
”The branches are only alive in Khayelitsha,” she said.
Earlier, Ntombekaya Skondo, spokesperson for the protesters, called for the PEC to be disbanded.
She said protesters wanted intervention from the ANC NEC in Johannesburg.
Toyi-toying protesters carried placards threatening not to vote for the ANC in the forthcoming local government elections, while others targeted Skwatsha, saying ”Phantsi, Skwatsha, phantsi [Down, Skwatsha, down]”.
Attempts to get hold of Skwatsha, Ngculu and ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama on Friday were unsuccessful.
The protesters, estimated to number 150, were watched by a large contingent of police.
The protesters dispersed peacefully and issued another ultimatum to the ANC leadership to respond to their complaints before October 28. — Sapa