ANC will resume Gauteng conference in July to deal with outstanding matters

The ANC in Gauteng has resolved to reconvene its provincial conference next month, in order to conclude deliberations on policy documents and finalise the election of additional provincial executive committee (PEC) members.

ANC Gauteng conference

The newly elected ANC Gauteng provincial chair Panyaza Lesufi announced this on Tuesday, during a media briefing at Luthuli House in Johannesburg. He said the reconvened conference will take place from 9 to 10 July 2022.

Lesufi said the provincial conference at the weekend in Benoni, east of Johannesburg was unable to deal with a number of issues ahead of the mother body’s policy conference, also scheduled in July.

“The conference adopted a motion for our preparation for our national policy conference in July 2022 and the conference resolved to adjourn its work to reconvene in two weeks’ time to conclude the business of the provincial conference,” he said.

“When we say the conference needs to conclude all its business; it means going to commissions, receiving commission reports, finalising our policy position and also finalising the election of the PEC members.”

ALSO READ: Court dismisses urgent bid to halt ANC Gauteng conference

The Gauteng ANC’s 14th provincial conference was marred by several delays over the adoption of credentials and a failed urgent court bid on Saturday to halt it from going ahead.

Lesufi, who’s also the MEC for education in the province, replaced Premier David Makhura as the ANC’s chairperson in Gauteng after serving as his deputy for five years. He was elected by 575 votes to 543 after he beat Gauteng Cogta MEC Lebogang Maile for the top job.  

Other leaders elected at the conference included Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, TK Ncinza, Tasneem Motara, and Morakane Mosupye as deputy provincial chair, secretary, deputy secretary, and treasurer, respectively.

Fatigued delegates

Lesufi said the conference was unable to deal with the outstanding issues because delegates were exhausted.

“When we were about to start with the election of PEC members and to receive reports on policy documents, it was quite clear that our delegates were fatigued and we needed to adjourn conference,” he said.

Lesufi denied suggestions that the conference was chaotic and apologised to delegates for the difficulties they had to face.

“We look forward to receiving the new additional PEC members so that we can conclude our task and start earnestly to do work on behalf of the ANC and government.”

Ahead of the ANC’s national elective conference in December this year, the party’s provincial structures have been criticised for placing a lot of attention on the election of leaders at conferences instead of focusing on service delivery and issues of national importance.

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