ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
In the wake of a court interdict granted against the ANC provincial conference taking place in KwaZulu-Natal this weekend, it’s obvious that there is severe disgruntlement at the University of Zululand.
Footage has emerged of delegates singing and drowning out attempts by ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe to address them. They were singing pro-Jacob Zuma songs, demanding to know “what has Zuma done?”
Mantashe insisted on addressing the delegates, and spoke out against “factionalism”.
The former secretary-general of the ANC was also booed as he took to the podium.
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Mantashe was quoted as telling the ANC’s provincial task team coordinator Sihle Zikalala when members shouted Mantashe down: “Sihle, these people keep quiet when you speak. It gives the impression that they are your faction.”
Delegates expressed anger at what they continue to see as the persecution of Zuma, who appeared in court earlier in the day in connection with 16 charges of corruption, money laundering and fraud. The case was again postponed.
An urgent interdict was granted by the Pietermaritzburg High Court tonight to postpone the African National Congress (ANC) provincial conference in KwaZulu-Natal.
The last-minute application was made by ANC members from the Harry Gwala, Lower South Coast, Moses Mabhida and Ukhahlamba regions.
While the matter was playing out in court, ANC members were continuing with the registration process. The three-day-conference was set to start today at the University of Zululand.
Zikalala was at the court to await the decision.
Zikalala was joined by ANC eThekwini Region chairperson Zandile Gumede, who is also the eThekwini mayor, and National Executive Committee (NEC) member Nocawe Mafu, who is also the convenor of deployees in KwaZulu-Natal.
The matter was adjourned to July 7.
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