Return of PAC’s voice: New president swearing in a victory for embattled party

Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) president Mzwanele Nyhontso is back in parliament after he was sworn in as his party’s sole MP in what he says is the “return of the PAC voice” to parliament.

“The PAC’s voice will be heard and the impostors who masqueraded as PAC leaders have been removed. Remember that legitimacy cannot be derived from the courts – the courts can only give legality and validity,” Nyhontso said, about his reinstatement after a court ruled him as true PAC leader.

He said his return to parliament presented an opportunity to put the PAC back in the hands of its rightful owners, the branches, not an individual.

“The branches will feel in charge after 13 years due to impostors who were used to destabilise the PAC,” Nyhontso said.

Nyhontso was briefly ousted as an MP by a faction led by his rival, Narius Moloto, in the ongoing PAC factionalism.

This despite a truce by the two sides to work as one, with Moloto appointed as president and Nyhontso as deputy president.

The “unity” leadership agreed to organise an elective congress for 29 and 30 August.

But it all broke down when Moloto invoked Clause 14.2 of the PAC disciplinary code and disbanded the party’s national executive committee (NEC).

The Nyhontso faction challenged Moloto’s decision in court and Judge AJ Millar ruled in its favour, but Moloto launched an appeal.

While the appeal judgment was awaited, Moloto called an elective congress for 24 and 25 August, 2019, that elected him as president.

But the congress agreed on jointly and scheduled for 29 and 30 August, 2019, went ahead and elected Nyhontso as president.

In a ruling on 23 August, 2021, Judge Keitumetse Mahlangu declared Moloto’s election and entire NEC elected at the 24 and 25 August congress and all its resolutions were unlawful and invalid.

The court found Moloto’s appeal was not received by the court registrar and declared it as “defective”.

The ruling rendered Nyhontso as duly elected PAC president, paving the way for him to return to parliament.

Post-1994, the PAC was marred by infighting at national and regional levels. Similar infighting happened in exile while the organisation was banned.

Among the breakaway groups were the Pan Africanist Movement led by Thami Ka Plaatjie and African Peoples’ Convention established by former PAC stalwart Themba Godi.

The party stability was further adversely affected by the retirement of its stalwarts and former presidents such as the late Clarence Makwetu, Dr Motsoko Pheko and former secretary-general Ngila Muendane.

Makwetu and Muendane were ousted by the party youth, a move that marked the beginning of the end for the party that the famous Robert Sobukwe founded.

– ericn@citizen.co.za