Violence mars ANC meetings ahead of conference season

The Limpopo ANC regional elective conference season got off to a bloody start after two people were stabbed during branch general meetings (BGM) at the weekend in Dennilton, outside Groblersdal, in the Sekhukhune region on Sunday.

Limpopo has five regions: Norman Mashabane, with 129 branches, Vhembe 127, Sekhukhune 118, Peter Mokaba 113 and Waterberg with 80 branches.

But only the three biggest will elect their preferred leaders between May and June. The contest in Sekhukhune is between three ANC bigwigs: current chair Stan Ramaila, current deputy Julia Mathebe and Mogale Nchabeleng. Nchabeleng is chief of staff in the premier’s office.

ALSO READ: Leaked list of Limpopo transgressors creates waves in ANC

On Friday, the factions that support Mathebe and Ramaila were involved in a scuffle that saw fists and insults fly minutes before the beginning of the meeting.

“I am a member of Rampongwe Makitla branch in good standing. We went to the BGM as a collective that supports the candidature of the current deputy chair.

“But a group of half-naked riffraff had blocked the entrance to the venue. The group refused us entry,” one victim, Kabelo Moganedi, said yesterday.

“One of them attacked me unprovoked. He choked me while the other one hit me with an empty beer bottle.

“I struggled to breathe and fell on the ground with my body and clothes soaking in a pool of blood. Not long after, another man produced a sharp knife and stabbed my hand and left me unconscious. When I woke up, I went straight to the police station,” he said.

The other victim, Thabo Mmutle, an ANC MP, said his attackers had been bribed to disrupt the meetings.

“They realised they were losing the conference before it even started. They knew once we reach the 75% threshold they will have no leg to stand on. Instead of walking away, they opted to disrupt the BGM so the conference does not sit,” said Mmutle.

Police in Limpopo said yesterday they were investigating cases of common assault and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

ANC Limpopo provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane was livid about the alleged stabbing.

“The perpetrators in those cases must step aside until their cases are finalised in court because the ANC does not harbour criminals,” he said.

alexm@citizen.co.za