The provincial secretary of ANC Mr. Soviet Lekganyane, on Monday night of October the first, at Capricorn fm, reported about a PEC meeting with provincial branches which took place during the day. He unambiguously said they are not happy with all NEC members from Limpopo; as a result they are not nominating them again. He further stated the grievances about them, saying:
- They opposed the Mangkweng 2011 provincial electoral conference as a legit.
- They where not helping Limpopo province with political activities, neglecting their duties to their constituencies.
- They did not come to the rescue when Limpopo province was attacked by ANC NEC, and whenever Limpopo matter where on the agenda in meeting of NEC, they tended to be quite.
It is the above mentioned reasons that all 9 NEC members from Limpopo will not be seeing the light of the day during this nomination process, as insinuated by Mr. Lekganyane.
I must say Mr Soviet Lekganyane, and most PEC members are well articulated and somewhat portrays gentlemen embellishment, and to some extent I admire them. Nevertheless, some of the positions they undertake are questionable, they come across as political “mafiarism” and “ganstarism”. Let me pin point some worrisome, undemocratic element of the above claims:
Secretary Soviet said, “Limpopo ANC is united towards Magaung and they are brings a new leadership”,
Firstly, at the time of his reporting, the Branch General Meetings or Annual Branch Meetings for nominations have not been hosted, simply because the nomination process has just been opened, the very same Monday. When and how has this unity being established?
Secondly, is the provincial secretariat meeting the instructive nomination body? Has the PEC instructed branch secretaries to nominate a particular candidate list? Are they going to impose or autocratically influence in favor of non Zuma candidate list? Are they going to take advantage through regional or provincial representatives, in electoral branch meetings, like in Gauteng under Pual Mashatile it was reported by media?
Thirdly, how can a provincial secretariat meeting make a decision that all nine NEC Limpopo representatives will not be nominated nor elected? Surely this is worrisome, did the province or branches nominate and elected these NEC members? What if during this process some branches still feel strongly about bring back some members of NEC solely because they performed well. Don’t these NEC have constituency offices; have they not been in contact with their constituency?
Perhaps, the current PEC needs to reminded that they are the one’s intentionally or others who alienated these NEC members even before Mangkweng conference. The Leadership of Cassel Mathale, witnessed the brutality against these NEC members, and their constituency on levels of branches and region, and they took side with those who favor them, at least according to some NEC members. However, Mr. Lekganyane is right, NEC members must stay in touch with their province, and constituencies and offer them necessary services.
According to rule 11.4.b of ANC constitution, Provinces submits nominated names of candidates other than top six, to the national electoral conference. This does not in any way give the PEC to impose its preferred candidates list.
A proper assessment by branches, not necessarily PEC, should be done before the actual nomination; this is “direct democracy”. The constitution of the ANC say’s, it is the Branches of the ANC that will nominate its preferred candidates. Rule 9.2 .i; clearly states ‘At least 90% of the voting delegates at Conference shall be from branches which shall be represented by elected delegates. The number of delegates shall be in proportion to the paid up membership’. PEC facilitates, and coordinates the process, as a result the delegate of PEC or REC, are not suppose to speak about any list or candidates with or on behalf of branches. Only branches should engage on whom the want.
While “Though the Eye of Needle” guides that lobbing is allowed, it is however, an unfair method to lobby for or against certain candidate(s), ether by motivating or demotivating through higher structures such as REC, PEC and NEC. Surely, the radio report of Secretary Soviet clearly indicates exactly that, an unfair method of lobbing.
It is therefore; logically correct to infer that; the internal democratic process of ANC Limpopo maybe under threat. Furthermore, the implication of such position which the provincial secretariat assumed, as Secretary Soviet pronounced, is also a clear indication that the branch meetings to nominate candidates for national leadership might be just a formality, since it appears that decisions are made on behalf of branches, or even before the electoral meeting (AGM). The million dollar question is, is this ANC internal democratic threat a nation wide problem? This is of high significance, if ANC cannot internally uphold the principles of democracy, then our country is under threat of undemocratic tendencies, and it will the begging of the end for our “South African Democratic Dream”.
Reece Phatudi (love activist, author of Essentials of Love, and social commentator) Writing as a concerned citizen
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