Debates at the African National Congress (ANC) policy conference in Midrand were on Thursday held in the dark for about an hour after a power failure.
The electricity came on shortly after 11am.
A security guard at Gallagher Estate said that generators had powered electricity in one area of the venue. However, on the other side delegates had discussed policy matters in the dark.
A shopping centre across the street had electricity and so did the garage on the corner.
Gallagher Estate managing director Andrew Dunkley said the entire area had ”gone down”, apparently because of an overload on the system.
He said Johannesburg City Power technicians were on site.
He said Gallagher Estate had generators going for ”emergency lighting and stuff”.
Staff at the Gallagher Estate management offices were operating by candlelight.
Organisational review
The ANC policy conference entered its second day on Thursday as delegates went into closed sessions to debate the party’s organisational review policy document.
About 1 500 delegates are attending the four-day gathering, which was opened by President Thabo Mbeki on Wednesday.
The organisational review is an examination of the structure of the ANC, and includes a proposal to enlarge the 60-member national executive committee.
Delegates will also be debating proposals from the provinces on whether there should be a two-term limit on the party presidency, which would prevent Mbeki from seeking a third term as ANC leader.
Earlier, the party announced that a media briefing on the outcome of debate on its strategy and tactics document had been pushed back from 10am on Thursday to 3pm.
The briefing, by ANC national executive committee member Joel Netshitenzhe, is expected to reveal whether the party is going to make any concessions to the left wing of the tripartite alliance on the wording of the crucial document, which sets out the ANC’s social and economic vision for South Africa.
ANC spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso said the briefing had been delayed because of Netshitenzhe’s other commitments at the ANC policy conference. — Sapa