Ghost delegates haunt ANC’s North West conference

The ninth North West African National Conference (ANC) at the Rustenburg Civic Centre has not only been marred by delays and legal tussle but also allegations of bogus delegates and theft.

The party laid criminal charges against a group of members that stormed the Olympia Park Stadium registration point and stole conference accreditation tags, which were later allegedly cloned.

The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) accused the National Executive Committee (NEC) team deployed to the conference of being “subjective” and seeking to fraudulently influence the outcome of the conference.

Delegate Wessels Morweng said their members on the ground had received information that the orienting of tags was continuing but those printing the tags took off when they were approached.

He said there has been double production of tags to try to mitigate numbers because the NEC realised that the lobby groups they were pushing for was not going to “conquer so they decide to be malicious and become pickpockets and produced more tags.”

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Morweng lamented that this undermined the decorum of the organisation, unity and renewal of the organisation, saying they heard that security would be unleashed on them.

He showed the SABC the 40 tags that he claimed had been seized from the fleeing comrades and that this explained the delays in the conference.

“[Saturday] there was rush in the adoption of credentials…We discovered 40 tags, which gives an explanation why the NEC rushed the adoption of credentials…we are questioning the credibility of the process there is subjectiveness (sic) on the side of the NEC deployed to run this process,” Morweng charged.

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He said the conference was not going to continue because its credibility was under question, saying during break on Saturday they were told voting would start 9am on Sunday but nothing had happened by 2pm.

 “They learnt they were behind with 40 delegates as far as the issue of margin is concerned. Now the process has to be stalled until now…2pm so that these shenanigans can happen for them to mitigate the issue of margins,” Morweng told said.

He charged that they were not apologetic and would not be intimidated in their conference, vowing to raise the matter in plenary.

“This is not the conference of the ANC. This is not how the conference of the ANC should be run. We are not going to be intimidated. We are waiting for that security. If [the conference] must collapse it must collapse. If there must be physical clarity, there will be physical clarity. We are not going to be scared,” Morweng said.

North West Premier Bushy Maape and former MP Nono Maloi are vying for the chairperson post.

Former chairperson Supra Mahumapelo, who was said to be making a comeback on an RET ticket, failed to make the cut during nominations.

He then withdrew from the conference to launch legal action.

Paul Sebegwe was nominated for deputy chairperson along with Lazzie Mokgosi. Louis Deremelo and former ANCYL national deputy chairperson Kenetswe Mosenogi, who was initially touted for the chairperson position, are vying for the secretary post.

ANCWL provincial chairperson and Mahumapelo’s ally, Bitsa Lenkopane, was nominated for deputy secretary. She is up against Viola Motsumi and Motlalepule Rosho.

For treasurer, Lenah Mmiga is up against Sello Lehare.

After countless delays and a chaotic start, delegates were on Sunday night lining up to vote for their preferred leaders.

They will re-convene on the 25th of this month to elect additional provincial executive committee (PEC) and conclude other outstanding conference matters.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will no longer close the conference on Sunday after it was abruptly adjourned to allow voting to take place. He is expected to address the delegates in the next leg of the sitting.

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