ANC Limpopo conference may be interdicted by disgruntled members

News channel eNCA is reporting that the ruling party’s ongoing internal battles are set to continue, with members trying to stop this weekend’s elective conference in Limpopo.

The disgruntled members are unhappy with the provincial executive committee (PEC) under Stan Mathabatha, which they claim is illegitimate as Mathabatha’s term as chairperson allegedly already expired in February. They also claim some processes leading up to the conference were unlawful.

They are reportedly serving urgent court papers on the ANC to stop the conference.

Branches in KwaZulu-Natal already interdicted that province’s elective conference earlier this month.

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule told the Mail & Guardian this week that the ANC is considering how to dissuade internal litigation, with the primary idea currently being that the party will “punish” members who take it to court by forcing them to pay their own legal fees if they lose their cases.

He explained that the ANC had paid members’ legal fees in the past, even if they lost cases.

Magashule said it would be far more preferable for party members to use the ANC’s national dispute resolution committee so that any unhappiness could rather be resolved internally, with the courts only being a last resort.

The governing party is set to hold its elective congress at the Ranch Hotel, about 12km away from the city centre of Polokwane, the provincial capital city, starting tomorrow and ending on Sunday.

It was reported earlier this week that the province’s sex workers are descending on the city in their droves as they believe ANC delegates are “big spenders”.