ANC Treasurer and acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile has requested a report from ANC Eastern Cape on why the Amathole region was dissolved. Photo: Gallo Images
The ANC Eastern Cape’s Amathole region, which was disbanded for “defying” the provincial executive committee, says it is ready for the December elective conference, claiming it was unfairly targeted by the Oscar Mabuyane-led PEC in the run-up to party nominations.
This came in the wake of acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile’s letter to the PEC this week, requesting reasons for the disbandment.
Amathole lodged an appeal against the decision with Mashatile’s office following the dissolution. At the time, the PEC said Amathole’s dissolution was because the region defied the provincial structure and “failed to save itself from itself.”
The region did not support Mabuyane at the provincial conference held seven months ago, where he was re-elected as provincial chairperson.
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The province’s second biggest region has thrown its weight behind ex-minister Zweli Mkhize and RET supporter, former Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle, the second leading contender for the party’s secretary-general post after KwaZulu-Natal’s Mdumiseni Ntuli.
The feud between the two structures has been raging on.
According to Amathole’s spokesperson Thabo Matiwane, the PEC hasn’t properly engaged with the re-called regional leaders to date.
“The REC [regional executive committee] of Amathole, as it indicated in its statement, only learnt about its dissolution through a statement issued by the PEC.
“There is nothing that was written to inform us about the dissolution and the reasons. We last had an engagement with the PWC [provincial working committee] then, however, the meeting was adjourned to pave the way for us to familiarise ourselves with the PEC deployees report to the PWC. We were surprised in that meeting that there was such a report,” said Matiwane.
Regarding their support for Masualle, Matiwane said branches in the region “spoke through their nominations”.
“The branches have made their choice quite clearly and unambiguously in their BGMs [branch general meetings] and no one can change that.
“We’ve just been unfairly targeted, period. But branches of Amathole are ready to go to the conference, the disbandment had no negative impact whatsoever.”
Mabuyane is vying for the ANC deputy presidency. He faces tough competition from fellow NEC members Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola, who received the most nominations, and Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha.
In a letter dated 7 December, Mashatile reminded the Eastern Cape PEC that the party’s national executive committee (NEC) took a decision in September that provinces and regions desist from dissolving structures during crucial party nominations.
“On 23 September 2022 we wrote to regional and provincial secretaries that – following the NEC meeting that adopted the roadmap to the 55th national conference – we call on all our structures to desist from dissolving branches in the middle of nominations.
“The dissolution of branches at this stage will have the effect of distabilising and disrupting the nomination process. We appeal to RECs and PECs to guard against such interventions,” read the letter.
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The ANC’s NEC makes final decisions between conferences.
Mashatile demanded a report detailing the reasons behind PEC’s decision on Amathole.
“While the correspondence refers specifically to branches, its spirit applies to the stability of the ANC generally in the run-up to the national elective conference.
“We request the PEC to provide us with a report outlining the basis on which the PEC invoked Rule 19.9.12 to dissolve the Amathole REC.”
However, PEC spokesperson Loyiso Magqashela denied that the province went against the NEC’s resolution.
“First of all, Amathole is not a branch. The PEC has not done anything wrong. We have engaged the Amathole region on reasons for the disbandment.
“It was properly done and done according to the ANC constitution. The PEC is writing a detailed report to be sent to the secretary-general, as requested.”
He denied that Amathole was punished for not supporting Mabuyane.
“That is not true at all, that is not how we do things,” he said.
A regional task team led by Sheila Xego was appointed to run Amathole last month.
In terms of conference delegation, Eastern Cape will be the second largest after KwaZulu-Natal.
Eastern Cape is still regarded as an ANC stronghold and will be sending at least 684 members to Nasrec.
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