‘The conference will go ahead’ – says Mashatile as ANC shifts branch meeting deadline
As ANC leaders up the ante in their campaigns for the top positions ahead of the party’s December conference; the party’s treasurer-general Paul Mashatile says despite challenges at branches he is confident the party’s 55th national conference will go ahead.
Mashatile was speaking at the wreath-laying ceremony held at the gravesite of the longest-serving ANC president of the OR Tambo in Wattville on Friday, a day after what would have been Tambo’s 105th birthday.
The ANC has again shifted its deadline for the completion of branch general meetings from 25 October to 7 November.
Mashatile said while they may have started slow, the gatherings have gained momentum. He says some of the challenges included load shedding, which affected the scanners which are used to verify the identity and membership of individual branch members.
“We have about 3,900 branches in good standing that must go to conference and most of them are sitting. We probably are at just more than 3,000 branches that have sat and all of them are following the rules, so we are very happy with the process,” Mashatile said.
ANC members at BGMs select their preferred candidates for the ANC’s top six and national executive committee as well as the delegates who will represent them at the 16 December gathering at Nasrec.
Gauteng provincial secretary Thembinkosi Nciza said the province has endorsed Mashatile for the position of ANC deputy president.
“We believe you are a fearless leader; you have spoken against the powers that be. You are one of those leaders that we can trust, especially where the ANC is. We believe that with you at the helm, especially with your understanding of the ANC and the MDM [mass democratic movement] structures we are sending one of the best and the structures of Gauteng will be beside you,” Nciza said while introducing Mashatile ahead of his keynote address.
Mashatile would not respond to the endorsement, saying it should be left to the branches to decide.
The acting secretary-general spoke out against vote-buying.
“Comrades on the ground and in our branches know that the use of money to buy people is forbidden. But you always get rumours that some people are using money, but we are not bothered by that because we work with comrades on the ground and with communities. And, as I was telling them here, if you work with communities and branches, they will nominate you. You don’t need money.”
Provinces have until 12 November to consolidate their branch nominations for the top six and 80 NEC positions.
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