Johannesburg - Delegates have started streaming in at the ANC
Gauteng provincial conference, with a delayed start to Friday
morning's proceedings. The party is holding its 13th provincial
conference in Tshwane which is expected to run until Sunday, where new
leaders will be announced.
About 1600 delegates are expected to attend from the province’s
five regions. ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to give the
opening address at the gathering. The theme for the conference is
"Unity integrity, service and renewal; hundred years of Nelson Mandela
and Albertina Sisulu”.
Delegates arrived to find a
tight security protocol in place.
Security staff
at the entrance to the venue searched vehicles and confiscated items
such as liquor.
"We are very strict, no rowdiness
will be tolerated. Anything that looks like a potential weapon is
confiscated...no alcohol is allowed inside too," said one of the ANC
security personnel at the entrance.
Groups of
delegates sang inside plenary hall, whiling away time. The singing and
chanting increased as the Ekurhuleni region walked. Ekurhuleni has the
most delegates of just over 300.
It has not been an easy road for the province as it has had to
fight off legal battles from its disgruntled members. On Wednesday,
the South Gauteng High Court dismissed a last-minute bid to halt the
conference by members in Ekruhuleni, which is the province’s largest
region with 311 delegates expected to attend.
The members wanted the court to grant an interdict to halt the
provincial conference until their review application was heard. The
court rejected the case for a lack of urgency. The leadership battle
at the conference is expected to be tense with prominent members vying
Gauteng Premier and current acting chairperson David Makhura is
vying for the chairperson position, and he is expected to be elected
unopposed. Economic development MEC Lebogang Maile is competing to
elected as deputy chair along with former Joburg Mayor Parks Tau.
Others vying for positions include Emfuleni Mayor Jacob Khawe for
provincial secretary, a position currently held by Hope Papo who also
hopes to be re-elected. Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has been endorsed
to elected provincial treasurer.
IOL and ANA
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