WATCH: ANC Free State conference delayed after delegates’ grievances result in chaos, clashes with cops

The African National Congress (ANC) Free State conference taking place at the Imvelo Safari Lodge has been delayed amid disputes over delegation lists.

The disputes escalated on Friday afternoon, resulting in clashes between ANC members and police, who allegedly fired rubber bullets to and sprayed tear gas in the area.

Spokesperson of the ANC in the Mangaung Fannie Ledimo told Newzroom Afrika that although they did not know where the instruction for police to fire rubber bullets came from, things escalated after Zizi Kodwa’s arrival.

‘Wrong delegates’

“We are very disappointed by what happened here. Everything started very well, there was calm, but only after the arrival of Zizi Kodwa that’s where we saw men in uniform becoming trigger happy,” said Ledimo.

“We don’t know if they did that because they were instructed or what, but we must say again that as disciplined members of the ANC we were addressed by the IPC member who was here that everything would be sorted out because for these delegates to be here, they were not here to disrupt because we want the conference.

“The issue is that when they were there at the registration centre they were told that there were people who had registered. They were asking themselves who are these people because yesterday they were addressed by the IPC coordinator telling them to come today. To our surprise when we got there they were told that no, we’re done with your regions. So we came here to see who are these delegates that are attending the conference on behalf of Mangaung delegates.”

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Ledimo claimed the delegates who were outside the Imvelo Safari Lodge started blocking cars from entering because “that is how they are sneaking people in, while the right delegates are outside”.

‘Necessary inconvenience’

ANC NEC member David Mahlobo said they decided to delay the conference to address the delegates’ grievances.

“We are not going to deal with comrades who are going to mobilise themselves around issues that they want to generate. We will listen to individual members who are still aggrieved. Because of the disturbances that have happened, we have made a decision that the conference is being delayed, we don’t start as planned. It’s a necessary inconvenience because if we don’t address those issues, we will be in a position where the credibility of the conference will be questioned.”

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ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe was expected to officially open the conference.