The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has called for an assessment of the process by which the party selects candidates for elections.
This follows the tumultuous nomination process which marred the ANC’s campaign for the local government elections.
Many ANC members in the province and the Pietermaritzburg region have lodged appeals against the selection of councillors they say were “imposed” on them.
Addressing the media on Monday following the party’s Lekgotla, provincial secretary Super Zuma said the party needed to review the entire selection process.
“The provincial executive committee has also agreed that our selection guidelines must be extensively assessed and evaluated in order to improve them for the future. However, the ANC prides itself on having been the only organisation to involve communities in choosing candidates to be deployed to lead the programme of social transformation,” he said.
Zuma added that only a re-run of the elections could solve the stalemate at two hung municipalities in KZN that have not constituted their councils yet.
Both Nquthu and Jozini have failed on numerous occasions to form councils as there was no outright winner in the elections.
In Jozini, the ANC has 19 seats, the IFP has 18, and the EFF, DA and an independent candidate all have one seat each.
The IFP has a co-operation agreement with the DA and EFF, while the ANC has the support of the independent candidate, which gives each side 20 votes.
Zuma said his party did not believe in the tossing of a coin to settle the stalemate, which the opposition parties say they would be open to.
“We are saying if we were to go to a by-election, it will give the voters enough time to reflect on how they vote and make the right choice.
“We want a council that will reflect the will of the people. You can get a council that will not be able to make decisions. You cannot arrive at a decision by a coin toss,” he said.
The provincial Co-operative Governance Department has announced that the two councils would convene again this week.
Zuma added that convening an early national conference of the ANC would not be beneficial for the party.
The ANC Youth League has been calling for an early conference to find solutions to the problems currently faced by the party, following its performance in the recent elections.
“While we know and accept some of our own mistakes, which have led to the decline of our movement’s support in certain wards, it is critically important that we also afford all supporters of the ANC an opportunity to speak directly to their own organisation,” said Zuma.
THE ANC has decided to appoint a task team to work with the Progressive Youth Alliance (comprised of Sasco, the ANC Youth League and Young Communist League) in searching for a lasting solution to the current problems at tertiary institutions.
Violent protest broke out at the University of KwaZulu-Natal last month and the academic programme has been affected on several occasions.
“We strongly condemn the acts of vandalism which have absolutely no connection, whatsoever, to the legitimate call for a free and quality education.
“We call upon the student leadership and students in general to exercise constraint and act with a sense of responsibility,” said provincial secretary Super Zuma.
