Sisulu’s claims of being cheated ‘a sign of lack of discipline’, not based in reality

The ANC’s electoral committee (EC) has shot down claims by Tourism Minister and ANC national executive committee member Lindiwe Sisulu that the committee ignored rules and disadvantaged her candidacy for party president.

Failed to meet threshold

The committee has instead argued Sisulu failed to meet the 25% threshold of support which includes the endorsement of a province.

In a letter addressed to the EC chair Kgalema Motlanthe, Sisulu said despite her name exceeding 25% threshold of support, she was not included in the list of candidates for the position of president.

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Proof

“My team, therefore, requested to know what happened to those nominations, or maybe your committee can provide us with raw data because we can help your committee and produce them for your benefit as and when such information is required from our side,” she said.

“We are prepared to come and present to your committee with all our nominations from the branches that nominated us.”

Lack of discipline

EC secretary chief Livhuwani Matsila said Sisulu making comments before an engagement with the EC was a sign of a lack of discipline.

“What is wrong is for her letter to be leaked and for her to make comments before receiving a response from the EC,” said Matsila.

“This is an internal process, let us not allow a dispute to result in public spats in the media.”

Matsila said the allegation made in Sisulu’s letter has no facts to support the matters she raised.

Sisulu did not even make the required numbers to stand for the ANC’s presidential bid as she was not nominated by any province.

Nomination is based on province

“Part of being successfully nominated in any of the top six positions, you need to have been nominated or proposed by the province. Being proposed by the province means you must have received the highest number of nominations in that province,” said Matsila.

“In terms of 12.7.1.1 of the ANC constitution, which says that if you are not nominated in terms of the rule that applies to the top six nominees, you then have an opportunity where a branch delegate could raise your name at the conference.”

He said the branches which nominated Sisulu did not even make the 25% required for her to stand on the floor of the conference.

“Now the 25% threshold is a serious misconception because the 25% threshold applies at the conference. Even if the 25% threshold does not apply yet, there are very few branches which nominated her, maybe they are less than two percent,” Matsila said.

“She cannot claim to have files and numbers that do not correlate with us and she does not reveal what numbers do not collate with our numbers.”

Expert weighs in

Political analyst Xolani Dube said Sisulu’s confidence has been bruised by the branch nominations and there was no need for her to worry if she has the support.

“I do not think she has been disqualified, these are just preliminaries around for administrative purposes and these are not the results at all. The real elections will happen at the conference.”

No comment

Sisulu’s spokesperson Steve Motale said the minister noted the “regrettable” leaking of a confidential letter.

“As a result of the leak, she has been inundated with inquiries from the media on the authenticity and contents of the letter. While Minister Sisulu understands the interest of the media, she won’t be making any comments as this is a confidential matter that is being attended to by the EC,” said Motale.

NOW READ: Lindiwe Sisulu lodges dispute with ANC electoral committee

– lungam@citizen.co.za