Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal hold ANC general councils

The PGCs consolidate branch decisions and preferred delegates to the national conference to be held in Naserec, Johannesburg.

All the other seven provinces wrapped up their PGCs over the weekend.

KwaZulu-Natal, the biggest in terms of ANC branches, said its PGC would ensure that economic transformation and expropriation of land without compensation remains at the top of its agenda. “The PGC will also sharpen perspectives on issues of expropriation of land without compensation, radical economic transformation, unity and 2019 elections,” the party said.

“The PGC is convened to achieve three purposes, namely, to sharply raise policies and affirm leadership nominations with the Independent Electoral Commission. It will open boxes containing nominations from the branches and consolidate the province’s perspective for the 54th National Conference.”

ANC presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma enjoys the backing of most of the branches in KwaZulu-Natal. The ANC leagues, the women’s league, youth league and the uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association (MKMVA), have also thrown their weight behind Dlamni-Zuma.

She has been openly nominated by North West and Free State. It was a close call at the Mpumalanga PGC on Friday when the former African Union (AU) chairperson led opponent Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa with seven votes. She received 123 votes while Ramaphosa received 117.

Mpumalanga, dubbed the “unity province” for insisting on leaders who would unite the embattled governing party, said it “preferred unity” and would not endorse either of the two frontrunners. There were 223 abstentions at the Mpumalanga PGC.

Ramaphosa has bagged Gauteng, the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape and the Northern Cape, who chose him as their preferred leader.

Meanwhile, the ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting that started on Sunday would continue in Irene, Pretoria. The NEC will finalise conference preparations and tackle issues such as court case disputes, allegations of branch membership manipulation and gatekeeping, two weeks before the much-awaited conference.

– African News Agency (ANA)

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