Violet Siwela: Our branches are at liberty to pronounce

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Violet Siwela: Our branches are at liberty to pronounce
SUCCESSION RACE: Mpumalanga ANC deputy chair Violet Siwela. PICTURE BY MfisoDIGITAL/MLM.

She said they will not stop anybody from choosing their preferred candidates.


DD Mabuza’s deputy in the ANC says they will not prevent anybody from making pronunciations for the ANC’s elective congress.

Violet Siwela delivered the ANC’s message of support at the 30th birthday celebration of the National, Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) in Mbombela on Friday afternoon.

“As the deputy chairperson of the ANC in the province I want to emphasise that our branches, as the basic unit, they are at liberty to choose their own choice,” she said to applause.

She said it was important that as Mpumalanga “together with our alliance partners we move with one voice to the congress”.

“[The] 2017 [congress] must determine the elections in 2019,” Siwela said.

“That unity which we promised should continue beyond 2017,” she said.

Branches are expected to convene branch general meetings in no time and nominate their preferred top 6 and additional members and submit the list to Luthuli House.

The ANC currently has seven runners for the presidency – Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Cyril Ramaphosa, Jeff Radebe, Lindiwe Sisulu, Mathews Phosa, Baleka Mbete and Zweli Mkhize.

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Nehawu celebrated its 30 years of existence at the huge hall of the St Marks International School, Mbombela on Friday afternoon, with Cosatu 2nd deputy president Zingiswa Losi, ex-Nehawu national leader Fikile Majola and incumbent Zola Saphetha delivering speeches.

SACP Mpumalanga leader Bonakele Majuba delivered the party’s message of support as well as SANCO PEC member Phakamile Thwala.

Siwela said as the ANC – being the leader of the alliance – they will swallow their pride and make sure that the ANC remains a united movement going forward.

“There might be those with their agendas comrades,” she said. “But as the leader of the alliance we must swallow our pride and make sure that that unity we achieve it because the death of the ANC is the death of our future generation”.

(edited by MLM)

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