ANC Giyani sub-region elects new committee to lead them
WITH the 2016 local government elections coming up, the ANC has started to prepare for this event
GIYANI – WITH the 2016 local government elections coming up, the ANC has started to prepare for this event.
This was evident over the weekend when the ANC Giyani sub-region elected a new political structure led by Ernest Mboweni as the chairperson, followed by Richard Mashale as his deputy.
The committee mainly consisted of new faces.
Newly elected secretary, Thom Mkhari, said Mboweni, a former Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) local chairperson and National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) deputy chairperson, was expected to take Giyani forward and unite ANC branches.
He mentioned that some members wanted Eric Nkovani, who is known as Penny-Penny in the music industry, to be the chairperson.
Mkhari further said the newly-elected committee was committed to serve Giyani better, and also unite ANC factions. “Collectively we’re committed to changing the lives of our people, by coming with strategies to improve the Greater Giyani area, and to build and unite structures of the ANC,” he said.
Both Cosatu and the South African Communist Party urged unity in the ANC and said the newly-elected ANC structure should commit itself to serve the community and not individuals. “We don’t want a situation where people join the ANC to be loyal to individuals; we need leaders who are committed to serve the nation and be accessible to people at all times,” Cosatu local secretary, Eunice Khuzwayo, said.
ANC Mopani regional deputy secretary, Wireless Sedibeng also supported unity in the ANC and said members of the ANC should not fight for positions but rather be at the forefront of the struggle to improve service delivery to the people.
“The primary object of this elective meeting is for serving the interests of the ANC, not for fighting for leadership because leaders come and go,” he said. “Leaders who want to use the ANC’s platform for personal gain must be toppled,” he said, and added that the ANC could cleanse itself of bad leaders.
The other committee leaders elected were: Basani Shivambu, deputy secretary, and Thandi Zitha, treasurer with additional members John Bilankulu, Thomas Makondo, Kate Mashale, Hlupheka Makhubele, and Ouma Ramafalo.
