Minister Gwede Mantashe warns ANC delegates
ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe has warned Eastern Cape delegates against electing “dwarfs” attached to slates, saying their choices at the elective conference would determine the future of the province and the governing party.
Delivering his opening address to the 9th provincial conference in East London yesterday, the mineral resources minister urged the ANC’s rank-and-file to unite rather than fight like enemies because a factional victory would be “hollow” and “self-deceit”.
Mantashe’s warning came amid rising tension between supporters of former provincial chairperson and premier Oscar Mabuyane and his challenger, former provincial treasurer Babalo Madikizela, at the high-stakes conference held at the East London International Convention Centre (ICC). The conference, which started on Friday, is expected to end today with the announcement of a new leadership.
So high were the stakes that Madikizela’s supporters filed an 11th-hour court bid to interdict the participation of delegates from 36 branches, alleging that they had been nominated irregularly. This followed intense political battles on Friday between rival groups over the credentials, as well as claims by Madikizela that Mabuyane’s supporters were trying to bribe delegates to sway votes in the premier’s favour.
Mabuyane dismissed the claim, saying not everyone had money in the ANC.
A total of 1 500 delegates, including party leagues, are expected to vote for the new leadership. Mabuyane is a staunch President Cyril Ramaphosa supporter, while Madikizela is believed to lean towards the ANC’s radical economic transformation brigade, which opposes the president’s second term bid.
In a speech full of appeals and warnings, Mantashe told delegates that their slate politics were acts of “self-betrayal” because no faction was stronger than the governing party.
“Fighting one another as if there’s no tomorrow, as if we are enemies, is destructive. If you think a faction winning is a victory, then it’s a hollow victory. Victory is the selection of the best leadership. When there are gaps in between, the leadership at the top will collapse.
Source: IOL
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