Some party members have turned to social media to lobby for nominations to be additional NEC members – an unprecedented move ahead of the party’s crucial elective gathering.
EXPERTS say the emergence of lobbyists for people who stand no realistic chance of making it onto the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) are an indication of how the governing party has disintegrated over time.
Branches are currently nominating for leadership positions within the ANC’s Top Six and the 80 additional NEC members who will be announced when the party holds its elective conference in December.
Some party members have turned to social media to lobby for nominations to be additional NEC members – an unprecedented move ahead of the party’s crucial elective gathering.
An ANC insider said it was highly unusual for party members to offer themselves for nomination for one of the 80 NEC positions.
“Normally, there are nominations for the Top Six, and not the 80 NEC members. This is very unusual, as we are hearing about nominations for people we have never heard of. This has become a joke, there are all these ‘chancers’ trying to get onto the NEC,” said the source.
Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said the emergence of contenders for the additional NEC positions was “uncontrollable and an indication of the disintegration of the party”.
“The party must accept that this was a consequence of lobbying for the Top Six and it was never going to remain at that level. It is now a free-for-all and people do what they please,” said Seepe.
Seepe said the NEC lost all credibility, purged people and had a triumphalist faction.
“Money has corrupted the ANC, from the top.”
Another analyst, Zakhele Ndlovu, said people in the party were willing to spend tens of thousands of rand to get control of branches and more for higher positions.
“Money is spent to buy positions and influence the outcome of leadership contests. When this happens, members of branches don’t have a say,” Ndlovu said.
ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe did not respond to questions about the lobbying for additional NEC positions.
Last week, the ANC said it would be extending the deadline for branches to nominate leaders of the NEC from Sunday to October 25, citing a number of issues that had led to delays in the holding of meetings.
ANC treasurer Paul Mashatile, who is also the acting secretary-general, wrote to the chairperson of the party’s electoral committee, Kgalema Motlanthe, to alert him that some branches had not held meetings, because of issues including load shedding.
“A meeting of the ANC secretariat forum on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 received progress reports on the holding of branch general meetings (BGMs) to elect delegates and nominate members of the NEC for the ANC’s 55th National Conference from December 16 to 20, 2022.”
Mashatile said the report highlighted challenges for the BGMs, including load shedding, industrial action by ANC staff, a high percentage of newly elected branch secretaries not being familiar with the membership system, and the need to upgrade scanner software.
Former health minister Zweli Mkhize was announced as KwaZulu-Natal ANC’s preferred candidate for party president to run against Cyril Ramaphosa, Cogta minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.
The deputy position is hotly contested with David Mabuza, Eastern Came Premier Oscar Mabuyane, Mashatile and ministers Ronald Lamola, Mamoloko Kubayi and Senzo Mchunu in the running.