Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel on Sunday again criticised “slates”, or separate lists of candidates, for election to positions in the ANC.
“When you start with a slate and delegates [at conferences] respond to slates, the ANC loses out and this very important message articulated in the [ANC’s] January 8 statement that we must demonstrate leadership to all of society is undermined,” he said at a briefing at the ANC’s conference in the Western Cape.
“Because we need leadership that has the breadth of support within the ANC to lead all of the ANC, and all of the ANC together then has responsibility to provide leadership to all of society.
“And if you keep narrowing this down, then ultimately democracy is the victim.
“Slates don’t work in a democratic organisation, you must be bold enough to strike compromises so we can draw on the best. Unfortunately when people engage in this kind of activity they must not cry foul later,” he said.
Manuel is the chairperson of the ANC’s national executive committee members deployed to assist the troubled party in the Western Cape.
On Saturday, the conference elected international relations and cooperation deputy minister Marius Fransman unopposed as provincial chairperson after former chairperson Mcebisi Skwatsha withdrew from the race.
Skwatsha supporters claimed he told the gathering he was not prepared to participate as he considered the proceedings “fraudulent”.
The row over the conference began after some delegates disputed the decision by the ANC’s constitutional committee to allow the youth league 23 votes.
The youth league in the province was disbanded last year, and ANC Youth League provincial task team sources claimed in a Mail & Guardian report last week that the secretary general of the ANC, Gwede Mantashe, had been present at an ANC meeting where it was decided that the youth league should not vote.
Swatsha’s supporters were angered by the fact that it was decided at the conference to take a vote on whether the youth league should vote — and allowed the youth league to also vote on the matter.
This is said to have favoured Fransman, as the youth league delegates were said to be supporting him.
Also elected unopposed to the top five positions were deputy chairperson Abe Pekeur, provincial secretary Songezo Mjongile, deputy provincial secretary Maureen Elliot and provincial treasurer Fezile Calana.
‘Normalising’ the ANC
In a statement on Sunday, the ANC said the outcome of the nomination and election of the top five marked the beginning of normalising ANC politics in the province.
“It also augurs well for the forthcoming local government elections that will be contested in all wards by the ANC in the province.
“Under the newly-elected leadership the ANC has renewed itself and reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of non-racialism and therefore laid a firm foundation to regain its dominance and leadership both within and outside of government structures,” the ANC said.
Manuel told the media briefing that the past 24 hours “have been difficult in a number of ways, but I think we’ve emerged with a process that the electoral commission — made up of a number of members of the NEC assigned to that task — supported by an independent elections agency … have declared the elections free and fair”.
“The process that was followed would stand on its own merits.”
Asked to comment on Skwatsha’s withdrawal, Manuel said he had no brief to speak on behalf of Skwatsha.
“I think in a democratic process delegates are nominated and have the right to decline. Mr Skwatsha, along with a number of other people had been nominated by branches before the conference and he opted to withdraw that nomination yesterday [Saturday].
‘Reconnecting with the people’
“That is his right as a member of the ANC. Members have a right to accept nomination to serve, but they equally have a right to withdraw that nomination,” Manuel said.
Shortly after his election, Fransman told the South African Press Association the province had come through a “very good conference” where 718 delegates had voting rights.
He said his priority was now to regain popular support among the people.
There were serious tensions in the different communities in the province and the new leadership would now try to reconnect with the people and civil society in all areas, from Bonteheuwel to Khayelitsha and the rural areas, he said.
Addressing the conference on Saturday, President Jacob Zuma urged the provincial ANC to put unity ahead of individual leadership interests.
He had harsh words for delegates, saying the meeting was taking place at a time when the Western Cape ANC was facing its most acute challenges.
Discussion about leadership had become the single most important issue and was taking precedence over the state of the ANC in the province, he said.
He said the conference was preoccupied with voting for the leadership, instead of looking to the upcoming local government elections and the task of wresting power from the Democratic Alliance.
“That is a sickness that kills this organisation,” Zuma said.
The ANC in the Western Cape had been “fighting itself”, giving other parties the opportunity to win elections as ANC supporters stood back because of the infighting.
“We have even failed as an opposition [to the DA] in the Western Cape.”
The ANC did not have the time to be an effective opposition because “we are dealing with one another”, Zuma said. – Sapa and Staff reporters