Build-up to Mangaung worrying - Block
2012-11-30 17:11
Kimberley - Attacks by African National Congress members on each other in the run-up to Mangaung 2012 were worrying, Northern Cape ANC leader John Block said on Friday.
"We must learn from our own experience where we (ANC) came back more divided after Polokwane," he told delegates at the Northern Cape ANC provincial nomination conference in Kimberley.
Block said the party in the province should never again subject the ANC to such division.
He told delegates to remember that Mangaung was not the ultimate experience, the be all and end all, of the ANC.
"It is just one critical step of a process; after Mangaung the party and government's challenges goes on.
"It is not worth it to break-up an orgnisation for a four-day event in Mangaung."
Block urged party members, despite the outcome of the nomination process, to go to Mangaung united and to return united.
The election agency was due to present the nomination outcomes from branches after the lunch break.
DivisionsIn the Western Cape, divisions on who branch delegates want to nominate for the ruling party's Mangaung Conference were evident at a Provincial General Council (PGC) meeting on Thursday.
The nomination proceedings, taking place at the University of the Western Cape, were delayed as Provincial Executive Committee members met behind closed doors to verify branch lists.
The Western Cape has 170 branches.
Only 150 qualified to attend the PGC, because they had, according to party rules, held their branch general meetings to nominate a delegate to attend Mangaung.
Of the 150, 122 delegates have been verified to vote in Thursday's PGC.
The rest of the names will be checked against branch lists to confirm whether they are members in good standing, and whether they have been endorsed by branch leadership.
Delegates were told to go for lunch while the verification process continues.
They were expected to return and register for the PGC.
As delegates left the UWC lecture hall where voting is to take place, two groups emerged, some singing pro-Zuma songs, others singing that it was time for the president to go.
Delegates and their supporters were also told to take off T-shirts bearing the pictures of their preferred candidates.
Some wore attire with Zuma's face painted on it.
Others wore sweaters with the words "anti-tribalism" printed on them as well as a list of their top six for the ANC, which included
Kgalema Motlanthe for President, Matthews Phosa for deputy president, and
Tokyo Sexwale for treasurer general.
ConfusionMeanwhile, the ANC in the North West was still waiting for its nomination conference to get underway.
"We are delayed by verification, which is underway," provincial spokespersonKenny Morolong said.
"Delegates who are verified are starting to arrive."
Morolong said the verification process was happening in Mafikeng.
Verification allows delegates to participate in the conference.
African National Congress members idly stood around at the Kosmos community hall at Hartbeespoort Dam.
One of the delegates said he heard that a parallel conference was being held in Mafikeng. However, he was waiting for the provincial leadership to come and address them.
There was uncertainty over when the conference would actually take place.
Morolong said the conference at the Kosmos hall was the one organised by the PEC.
The Mafikeng conference was apparently being held by the provincial secretary, Kabelo Mataboge.
Mataboge has been associated with the group calling for Deputy President Motlanthe to take the top job.
Provincial chairperson Supra Mahumapelo has reportedly been the chief campaigner for President Zuma's second term bid at Mangaung.
Earlier, Morolong said the group holding the conference in Mafikeng was confusing the entire membership of the ANC in the North West and projecting the provincial leadership in a bad light.
- SAPA