/ 28 November 2007

Final list of ANC candidates to be released next week

The names of all the candidates for the African National Congress’s (ANC) national executive committee (NEC) will be released in a week, the party’s electoral commission said on Wednesday.

”A final list of candidates will be released in about one week to allow all our delegates and structures to carefully consider the choices available to them,” the electoral commission said in statement.

The commission would approach all nominees to ask if they would be available to appear on the ballots at the ANC’s national conference.

It said all the nominations had been completed without any serious complaints or disputes.

”We are satisfied that the process was democratic and inclusive.”

The commission said no behaviour that contradicted the ANC code of conduct or that undermined legitimate democratic processes would be tolerated.

”Should any members of the ANC have allegations of intimidation or any form of coercion, we urge them to supply the commission with evidence in the form of sworn statements,” it said.

The commission would investigate any reports of intimidation and, if necessary, refer the matter the relevant ANC disciplinary committee.

On Tuesday, ANC spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso said the commission was hard at work validating the provincial nominations of candidates.

Rikhotso said each province and the ANC’s youth and women’s leagues had nominated their choice, not only for president, deputy president, national chairperson, secretary general, deputy secretary general and treasurer, but also for their choice for the 60 additional NEC members.

Rikhotso said delegates at the national conference in Limpopo in December would be allowed ”once more” to nominate members for the NEC from the floor.

Nominees needed to be supported by 25% of voting delegates.

He said a ballot paper would then be drawn up with the nominations from the provinces and from the floor. — Sapa