Magashule taken ‘out of context’, ANC Gauteng conferences to go ahead

Despite the fact that ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule clearly told media on Monday afternoon that the ANC had “decided to postpone all regional conferences in Gauteng that were supposed to take place this weekend”, the party’s spokesperson, Pule Mabe, has said he was misunderstood.

Mabe told 702’s Karima Brown on Monday night that Magashule’s comment was “taken out of context”.

On Monday, ANC members from the West Rand region had gathered outside the venue, alleging there were irregularities at branch general meetings ahead of this weekend’s regional conferences.

Magashule’s announcement was not sanctioned by the party’s highest decision making body, the national executive committee. “As matters stand, all regional conference in Gauteng are expected to sit,” said Mabe.

When asked how Magashule’s comment, “We have decided to postpone all regional conferences in Gauteng that were supposed to take place this weekend,” could possibly have been taken out of context, Mabe struggled to answer, merely repeating himself.

The ANC’s provincial and five regional conferences for Gauteng were meant to be conducted before the end of June, the party announced in May.

A total of 471 branches, having passed a membership audit, were meant to attend the conferences, and would also be electing their delegates.

Earlier on Monday afternoon, Mabe informed media who had gathered for feedback on the outcomes of a special NEC meeting in Irene, Gauteng, that there would only be a full press conference about it on Tuesday.

He interrupted an interview being given to gathered media by Magashule, who touched on a number of key issues, including: legal concerns that motivated the postponement of Gauteng conferences; that Limpopo has been declared ready for its provincial congress; while the NEC is happy with what Magashule described as progress in KwaZulu-Natal following its leadership congress being interdicted earlier this month.

He said they were confident they would be able to resolve the impasse caused by four unhappy regions in the province.

Magashule, however, could say nothing about who will be named as the new premier of North West.

When asked about a disgruntled group of Eastern Cape ANC members who had headed to court on Monday to attempt to force the NEC to implement a recommendation from the Ndebele Appeals Panel, he said they were dealing with that matter too.

It was reported on Monday afternoon that the High Court in Johannesburg had reserved judgment on that application.