/ 18 December 2007

ANC voting starts after delays

Voters turned out in droves on Tuesday for the election of the leader of the African National Congress (ANC) president at the University of Limpopo. It was unclear whether voting had started, as journalists were barred from going anywhere near the voting station.

Delegate Njenjwe Nyawose questioned why security guards were removing media from the area as ”it is ANC policy to have a free media”. Guards were also preventing photographers from taking pictures of the voting station.

The voting was initially delayed on Tuesday due to computer problems, the party’s electoral commission said. ”We had computer problems, that’s why we could not start on time,” commission chairperson Bertha Gxowa said. However, the problem had since been fixed and voting would begin.

A variety of emotions were expressed by most voters as they made their way to the polling station.

”It’s a normal day,” said Matumba Baldwin, adding that the election was a normal process through which the ANC had to go.

On the other hand, enthusiastic Zuma supporters emerged to ensure that their man was placed on top. ”Zuma fever is rocking the town,” said Tibane Langa.

Nyawose said he thought current ANC president Thabo Mbeki would withdraw from the nomination process, which took place on Monday night, as Mbeki should not ”humiliate himself” by standing against Zuma.

Another delegate, Speelman Nkosijani, said the balance of forces was very clear. ”The process of democracy will speak for itself … we don’t want two centres of power,” he said. He added that he still respected Mbeki but it was time for him to go.

A long queue went around buildings at the university with voters standing patiently in light rain.

Nominees

ANC heavyweight Tokyo Sexwale on Monday night declined his nomination to the position of national chairperson as the names of those in the running for the ruling party’s top six positions were announced.

His announcement surprised a conference session that had up to then done little but applaud when the names of the candidates for party president (Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma going head to head, as predicted) and deputy president (Mbeki loyalist Joel Netshitenzhe and Kgalema Motlanthe) were announced without further nominations. However, cheers rang out after he had finished speaking.

A delegate from Limpopo province then nominated Baleka Mbete, who accepted, and a clear majority of delegates signalled their approval by a show of hands.

Chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota and Gwede Mantashe, former general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, are in the running for the position of secretary general, and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Mathews Phosa are vying to become the new treasurer general.

Mbete declined her nomination as deputy secretary general following Sexwale’s earlier announcement, and a Limpopo delegate then nominated North West speaker Thandi Modise to stand against Thoko Didiza for the position. Again a large number of hands indicated the majority of delegates’ approval of the nomination.

Counting of votes for the top six will be done manually to assuage concerns raised at the conference of Sunday regarding the transparency of the voting process.