The ANC Youth League in Mpumalanga intends writing to the ANC leadership once again to complain about alleged irregularities linked to the re-election of provincial chairperson David Mabuza.
In an interview this week, acting youth league provincial chairperson Clarence Maseko said the league intended to write a second letter of complaint to ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe to investigate the alleged serious irregularities. Maseko blamed the ANC leadership for ignoring the league’s concerns raised in an initial letter sent to Mantashe calling for a postponement of the conference.
In the letter, the youth league charged that Mabuza had acted with “impunity in disregarding organisational policies, the constitution and the issuing of threats directly or indirectly as he is said to be assured protection from deployees in the province or perceived protection from the president”.
Mabuza was re-elected unopposed to the powerful position of ANC provincial chairperson. His re-election is regarded as a major boost for President Jacob Zuma’s campaign to be re-elected as ANC leader at the party’s elective conference in Mangaung.
Although Mabuza emerged triumphant, the road to his victory is alleged to have been paved with incidences of intimidation, abuse of state resources and a flagrant disregard for the ANC’s constitution.
The youth league said that, under the circumstances, it did not believe that the environment was conducive to “a free and fair congress in Mpumalanga, as we have an environment of fear and intimidation”.
ANCYL begs the ANC
The league pleaded with the ANC leadership to postpone the conference until all the parties were satisfied that the processes were in accordance with the ANC’s constitution.
Among the concerns raised was that only a handful of branches had convened duly constituted branch general meeting where delegates had been finalised.
The ANC constitution stipulates that at least 90% of the delegates at conference be from branches, elected at properly constituted branch general meetings.
“The number of delegates per branch shall be in proportion to its paid-up membership, provided that each branch in good standing shall be entitled to at least one delegate,” states the party’s constitution.
Another concern raised by the youth league was that with the “full blessing” of regional executive committees (RECs) and “a host of provincial executive committees [PECs]” a “signature campaign” had been conducted. “The PEC took an unconstitutional decision that all branches deemed ready to undergo the process of branch general meetings could do so only upon the arrival of either a designated PEC or REC member with an attendance register and nomination forms duly signed by the regional secretaries,” states the letter to Mantashe.
ANC provincial secretary Lucky Ndinisa said the ANC national executive committee members who had been deployed to the conference had been tasked with dealing with the 59 disputes lodged during the preparatory meetings. He said the province was satisfied that national leaders had given the matter sufficient attention and opportunity for recourse.