Ramokgopa booed at ANC meeting – report

Former Tshwane mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa was reportedly booed and prevented from addressing African National Congress (ANC) members at a meeting called by provincial office bearers and branches in his region.

News24 reported on Saturday that the Tshwane ANC chairperson was barred from speaking at a meeting of the party on Monday evening by Mpumalanga and Limpopo branch leaders from Hamanskraal, Mamelodi, and some from his home town of Attridgeville.

The incident has apparently been dubbed a “political Dineo”- a reference to last month’s cyclone that left a trail of destruction in Mozambique.

According to the report, the meeting was attended by provincial leaders including ANC Gauteng chairperson Paul Mashatile.

They reportedly met behind closed doors with regional leaders in Tshwane ahead of the governing party’s 54^th national elective conference in December. The ANC is expected to hold a series of conferences in the lead-up to the national conference.

The “tense stand-off” was caused by some branches who blamed Ramokgopa, also known as “Sputla”, for the ANC losing control of the city during last year’s local government elections.

The party lost control of the capital to the DA, which came to power with the help of the EFF and other smaller parties in the city.

Before the municipal polls in August, Ramokgopa and his deputy, Mapiti Matsena, were said to be involved in a tense factional battle to become Tshwane’s next mayor. This forced the ANC to introduce Thoko Didiza as a compromise candidate, resulting in violent protests and looting across townships in Tshwane.

“According to several sources, the two have made up, with the former mayor hoping to assist his deputy in taking over his role in exchange for support when he vies for a provincial and national post at a later stage.

“A former regional leader said Ramokgopa had failed to call constitutionally-mandated meetings in the region because he knew his head was on the chopping block,” the reported stated.

ANC spokesperson in the region Teboho Joala refused to confirm or deny to News24 if Ramokgopa was indeed booed at the meeting but he said the meeting went ahead as planned.

The ANC is Tshwane is expected to hold a regional congress before the end of April.

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