The African National Congress (ANC) on Tuesday laid down some house rules aimed at preventing factionalism ahead of its 52nd national conference, at which its new leadership structure is to be elected.
”It is important that participants at the conference, whether delegates, observers or guests, desist from any conduct that may be divisive, disruptive or otherwise deviate from the democratic traditions of the movement,” the ANC said ahead of Sunday’s start of the conference at the University of Limpopo outside Polokwane.
The warning comes after heated debate over whether current party president Thabo Mbeki should continue for another term, or whether its deputy, Jacob Zuma, who has run a gauntlet of legal challenges over the past few years, should succeed him.
In terms of the conference rules to be adopted at the opening, there will be a ban on material that is divisive or may promote factionalism.
This extends to T-shirts or clothing featuring any of the candidates for election to the national executive committee (NEC), and includes T-shirts produced from prior election campaigns, an idea previously rejected by the ANC Youth League.
”It’s all systems go for the conference. With almost all of the 4 075 voting delegates registered, the conference will also be attended by 450 non-voting delegates, 135 observers from allied organisations and 360 local and international guests,” the ANC said on Tuesday.
According to a schedule mailed to the almost 700 media representatives who secured accreditation, the conference starts on Sunday morning, the Day of Reconciliation.
Most details of the conference programme were marked with a ”not for publication” note, but a later ANC statement said that ANC secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe will present in detail his organisation report, which covers the work and state of the organisation over the past five years.
Also scheduled are several electoral commission sessions at which the party’s top officials and its NEC will be elected in a painstaking process that involves people being nominated, seconded, nominations from the floor being taken and seconded, and the reconciliation of secret ballots.
Top officials’ positions will be announced as soon as vote counting is finalised, and on Thursday December 20, the last day of the conference, the NEC will be announced.
Work has been completed on the erection of the main conference structures at the University of Limpopo, including the plenary venue, which seats 5 000 people and a dining area for 3 000 people at a time.
The area will be declared a ”firearm-free zone” and delegates will be protected by a large police contingent, said Limpopo police spokesperson Superintendent Mohale Ramatseba.
”If you go around the conference venue, it’s such a buzz, it’s very busy,” said Lulama Tshabalala, Limpopo Tourism and Parks Board communications manager.
Efforts are being made to accommodate those who have booked at the ”11th hour” with families in the area.
”Its very busy at this time of year — people are coming home, we have our normal visitors and, above that, we have the conference,” she said.
”From the tourism side of things, we are smiling. Every word that people speak is ‘Limpopo’,” she said.
The ANC said it was confident that all political preparations and logistical arrangements are in place. — Sapa