86 branches were disqualified and cannot send delegates to conference.
The ANC’s 13th elective congress in Mpumalanga will made up of 314 branches.
This was revealed in a press briefing addressed by ANC PTT co-ordinator Lindiwe Ntshalintshali and NEC member Dakota Legoete about the party’s readiness to hold an elective congress Thursday 31 March 2022 at the Witbank Civic Hall.
Mpumalanga will hold the much-awaited 13th provincial conference from 1 to 3 April 2022.
Ntshalintshali said in total the Mpumalanga ANC has 400 branches.
She said the rules allowed for a 70% threshold to qualify as a province to hold an elective conference – where 280 of the 400 branches should qualify.
“Out of the 400 branches our 70% threshold is 280 branches and we have surpassed that because we are at 314 branches that qualify to go to conference,” she said
She said a letter that the province received from treasurer-general Paul Mashatile on 15 March 2022 “gives Mpumalanga a go-ahead to hold its provincial conference”.
“The branches that failed to make it are either those branches that didn’t reach quorum, had disruptions or had members who were less than 100, because you need 100 and above to qualify to be a branch,” he said.
The two also said that the province will go ahead holding the 13th elective congress despite a court application filed by two disgruntled members to stop the congress from sitting.
The members argue that the current PTT is an illegitimate structure as it was put in place by the NWC – a subcommittee of the NEC which they say doesn’t have the powers to dissolve a PEC.
But Legoete said the NWC does in fact have the power to disband a PEC.
“Members who say the NWC doesn’t have the authority are making a terrible mistake because the NWC is a structure that is responsible for the day-to-day running of the ANC in-between NEC meetings The NWC is responsible for the day to day running of the ANC,” he said.
The conference will be contested by converner Mandla Ndlovu, Nkangala district municipal speaker Lucky Ndinisa, Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane and perhaps senior party member Peter Nyoni who is said to have been suspended by Ntshalintshali for speaking out against the newly appointed PTT.
These will contest the post of provincial chairperson.
Other contestants are –
Deputy provincial chairperson
– Nkangala RTT convener Speedy Mashilo
– Carolina municipal spokesperson David Mdavu Nhlabathi
– PTT deputy co-ordinator Charles Makola
Provincial secretary
– Gert Sibande RTT convener Muzi Chirwa
– Former finance MEC Pat Ngomane
Deputy provincial secretary
– PTT co-ordinator Lindiwe Ntshalintshali
– Health MEC Sasekani Manzini
– The ANC’s Charles Ndlovu
Treasurer
– Former agricultural department MEC Mandla Msibi
– Former Witbank mayor Salome Sithole
(edited by MLM)
Send tip-offs to editor@013.co.za
