In true Cape style, two sharply divergent tendencies have now emerged in one of the factions of the Western Cape ANC.
Divisions have emerged in the faction which boycotted last week’s provincial ANC conference, essentially over whether to remain in the ANC or follow Terror Lekota’s rebels into a new movement.
The political head of the ANC’s organising department in the province Yengwayo Kutta, ANC MP Lerumo Kalako and treasurer of the Dullah Omar region Fezile Calana insisted, at a press conference, that they would not leave the ANC.
Said Kutta: ”I’m not leaving the ANC, but I’m very clear that the conference that was held was fraudulent and I don’t recognise the leadership of [provincial chairperson Mcebisi] Skwatsha.
”I still maintain that half of the branches were not represented at the conference. Skwatsha is lying if he’s saying that 73% of branches participated in the conference. It’s utter nonsense and I don’t recognise him as our leader.”
Leading the other tendency of the boycott faction is Mbulelo Ncedane, secretary of the province’s key Dullah Omar region, which includes the Cape Town metro.
Ncedane would not be drawn on whether he would leave the ANC to follow Lekota. But in reaction to Lekota’s Wednesday media conference to announce a national convention which will discuss a possible new party, he said: ”I’m very happy Terror is raising those issues. He is speaking on behalf of millions of South Africans.
”Skwatsha and his faction in the Western Cape are destroying the ANC. I didn’t join the ANC for its name, but for its values, principles and traditions which are being undermined by the current leadership.”
Pointing to the way supporters of Skwatsha were elected unopposed to all the top party posts in the province, he asked: ”How is it possible that every single leadership position is taken by loyalists to Skwatsha while up to half of the branches do not endorse his leadership?”
Ncedane said that 106 of 205 ANC branches boycotted the provincial conference last month because the process was ”rigged” by Skwatsha. The provincial executive committee disputes this figure, saying 73% of branches attended.
While the conference was in progress, Ncedane, former ANC chairperson James Ngculu and other provincial leaders attended an alternative meeting in Langa.
Skwatsha has offered to listen to the concerns of the boycotters, but Ncedane rejected his overture.
He said that before the conference, he and others went to Luthuli House to ask secretary general Gwede Mantashe to intervene and ”stop the fraud”. The party’s national executive committee (NEC) then sent former youth leader Fikile Mbalula to hear the complaints of the branches.
”Mbalula disappeared to initiation school and the conference went ahead where Skwatsha and his people won every single leadership position,” Ncedane complained.
Claiming that Skwatsha and Max Ozinsky, elected for the second term as provincial deputy chairperson, had manipulated the outcome, he listed numerous branches where there had been political interference.
He also said Skwatsha had allowed ANC Youth League members to officiate branch meetings, which is ”unacceptable”.
”How can the youth league be allowed to run the business of the ANC? The NEC needs to do their job and come down strongly on these people destroying our organisation.”
Neither Skwatsha nor Ozinsky responded to repeated attempts for comment.