Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
Pretoria - ANC acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile has written to the party’s head of the electoral commission, Kgalema Motlanthe, to extend the deadline for branch general meetings.
The meetings are aimed at allowing branches to nominate their candidates for the top leadership of the party before the December elective conference.
Mashatile, who has been nominated to take over from the party’s deputy president, David Mabuza, said the decision to extend the deadline was reached at an ANC secretariat forum on Tuesday.
Mashatile told Motlanthe the forum assessed reports coming from branches dealing with delayed general meetings due to a myriad problems.
“The reports highlighted a number of challenges impacting on meetings, including load shedding, industrial action by ANC staff, a high percentage of new branch secretaries not familiar with the membership system, and the need to upgrade scanner software.
“It is clear that many branches will not be able to hold general meetings by the deadline of October 2.
“It was proposed that the deadline be extended to October 25,“ said Mashatile.
Meanwhile, the Esther Mazibuko Branch in Sedibeng, Gauteng, has stood by its general meeting nomination of former president Jacob Zuma as a candidate for ANC presidency.
The branch held its general meeting last Sunday, despite a letter from Mashatile warning that problems faced by the ANC would render their nomination invalid.
Branch secretary Bongani Ngobese told the Pretoria News that they were waiting for Zuma to accept their nomination.
“Our branch has nominated President Zuma to be the president of the ANC. In line with the media statement he issued this week, he won’t refuse the call,” said Ngobese.
One of Zuma’s biggest supporters, Senzo Nkabinde, from Gauteng, called for other branches to do likewise.
A spokesperson for Zuma did not respond to questions sent to him.
Attempts to obtain comment from Motlanthe were also not fruitful.
Pretoria News