Heated council ends in establishment of interim Sanco task team

Heated debate characterised an urgent Special Provincial General Council (PGC) of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in Greenside, Polokwane on Sunday at noon before the Provincial Executive Committee led by Messina Masekoameng got dissolved and a substitute interim task team put in place to take structures to an elective conference.
The hot potato that signified an ongoing provincial leadership conundrum was brought to the table by a national leadership collective elected in Alexandra in January this year, claiming that they were the legitimate structure overwhelmingly supported by Sanco structures in seven provinces despite a parallel interim task team reportedly having put itself in place some three weeks ago following a gathering in Durban.
With the big issue hanging in the air, challenges faced by members across all regions of the province were raised with the collective. It included concerns about Sanco in Limpopo allegedly being captured by the Masekoameng family, the need for building a strong and vibrant organisation to be recognised by alliance partners in the province, dysfunctional structures, gate-keeping at branch level through recruiter packs seemingly sold for unaccounted cash amounts and alleged acts of nepotism, the demand for the leadership to raise visibility in electioneering work done by Sanco members without recognition with the ANC and the proposal for an interim provincial task team to be established.
The national leadership collective was led by Deputy President Skhumbuzo Mpanza and national General Secretary Mike Soko, who confirmed from the podium that they only had one National Executive Committee (NEC) recognised by the African National Congress (ANC) nationally. To great applause he affirmed Theo Makola, who was reportedly suspended in August last year for alleged ill-discipline and bringing the organisation into disrepute, as Provincial Secretary of the structure in Limpopo.
As Soko took members through, among others, the outcome of the national conference, the details of elected leaders and ensuing court processes he continued to refer to Masekoameng, who is a member of the Legislature, as being part of a bogus and unconstitutional structure.
The interim task team of 18 members is led by Champ Sepuru as Convenor, Theo Makola as Coordinator, Magodi Edward Mmanaso as Deputy Convenor, Magdeline Netshiavha as Deputy Coordinator and Nancy Ramohlale as Provincial Treasurer. As stated in a media release issued afterwards, they have been given the mandate to organise a conference within three months and further co-opt additional task team members if needed.
On Tuesday Makola informed Polo­kwane Observer that a new bank account had to be opened for Sanco Limpopo earlier that day as individuals accused of fraud allegedly had access to the organisation’s account which necessitated it having to be closed. The former provincial treasurer, Progress Kutama, hadn’t had access to the bank account since 2015, stated Makola in the follow-up interview.
During the joint interview Sepuru assured that the Sanco Provincial Task Team was not going to remove Masekoameng from the ANC’s candidates’ list of ANC province-to-province preferences for Legislature positions unless he brought the organisation in the province into disrepute as he was there on a Sanco ticket. Judy Mphelane who is the former Sanco Limpopo Deputy Chairperson and whose name also appeared on the ANC list was still safe for now, added Sepuru.
Masekoameng could not be reached for comment on either of his cell numbers and did not respond to voice messages left on his phones.

Story and photos: YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com