The formation of the ”Shikota” party is running into several logistical problems, and its leaders are convinced that the ANC is abusing its powers to ensure that progress towards the national convention to launch the party is thwarted.
But the ANC is also feeling the heat: its list-drawing processes are being slowed by attempts to counter the new movement.
On Thursday ANC supporters in the Vaal sang slogans such as ”Kill Lekota, Kill Shilowa” when they tried to disrupt a ”Shikota” mass meeting in Orange Farm. ANC ward leaders lured residents to the meeting, claiming that ANC president Jacob Zuma would be addressing them.
The breakaway movement, led by former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa and former defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota, is having trouble organising its convention because of concerted efforts by ANC-controlled municipalities in the Free State to block the group from renting venues. The convention had to be moved to Tshwane.
Free State organiser Vax Mayekiso said: ”When Bloemfontein was nominated as the host city, ANC youth went and booked the venues and so the conference was moved to Tshwane. We tried to book the city hall in Winburg as well as the agricultural showgrounds, but were blocked on all three. How can it be so busy? A government official had already written an invoice for us and then she received a phone call to say ‘cancel’.”
Free State Premier Beatrice Marshoff refused to condemn the new movement publicly, but her implicit support has, according to Mayekiso, not been enough to help them secure a venue because the purse strings of the province are held by ANC provincial chair Ace Magashule. ”He controls all the municipalities and can say which tenders go to whom. So people listen to him,” Mayekiso said.
He also told the Mail & Guardian that the Progressive Youth Alliance wrote a letter to the management board of the Central University of Technology (formerly Free State Technikon) demanding that Lekota be told to resign from his position as chancellor of the university.
Despite the ANC’s assurances that the breakaway movement will be allowed to campaign unfettered, the possibility of violence disrupting the movement’s campaign is not ruled out.
”It will depend on how people in the provinces manage the situation,” said Zet Luzipho, Cosatu provincial secretary in KwaZulu-Natal.
”You can’t rule out violence. If you are a chair of a branch and you believe you enjoy the support and then suddenly you may no longer be enjoying that support; somebody else is now commanding support, what do you do? They will embark on other activities like violence to give them the advantage.”
The Free State police have been in discussions with the convention organisers to ensure the event is not marred by violence. ”They came to us and asked us how can they help to keep us safe,” Mayekiso said.
In a statement this week, the ANC in turn accused the Shikota movement of intolerance. ”The ANC will not interfere with the Lekota-George-Shilowa troika from campaigning, holding a convention and forming a political party. The ANC has, however, noted with utter disgust the rising levels of political intolerance in the country by supporters of the Lekota-George-Shilowa group. If the burning of ANC flags in the Free State and elsewhere in the country is anything to go by, we wonder what the group hopes to achieve by sending a message of hate and violence to potential voters. We strongly condemn such backward acts of political intolerance.”
In the Eastern Cape members of the ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC) are lending their support to the breakaway movement, but are unwilling to make it known because they may risk their positions as provincial ministers.
Former deputy defence minister Mluleki George admitted that PEC members were attending the meetings held by the dissident group, but did not want to name them.
”PEC members attended our meetings because they believe in what we are doing. They must talk for themselves, they will come out at the right time,” said George.
The M&G has learned that a meeting in Mthatha on Wednesday was held with some PEC members who were allocated regions in which they would lobby for the breakaway party. ”They were assigned various regions in which to mobilise,” a source who attended the meeting said.
Some PEC members were called to ANC headquarters Luthuli House on Wednesday for a meeting with ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe to report back on the state of the province, says provincial secretary Siphato Handi.
Several PEC members were contacted by the M&G but refused to admit involvement in George’s group. Tensions within the PEC were rising this week with members accusing each other of helping George with his breakaway movement.
”There might have been some who met with him, but they might have wanted to understand hisintentions,” said provincial health minister and deputy secretary Pemmy Majodina.
Handi said the provincial working committee will meet on Monday to discuss information about councillors who are working with George.
Additional reporting by Mmanaledi Mataboge and Niren Tolsi