The African National Congress (ANC) has reached over 80% of its branches that have successfully held Branch General Meetings (BGM) for the fifty-fifth national conference in December.
The Party Leagues have also chosen their candidates for leadership.
The Women’s League dropped Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, whilst the Youth League has put its bets on Dr Zweli Mkhize. The ANC veterans League has also decided to go with the incumbent president Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term.
The clock is ticking, fast approaching the 16th of December, where the ANC will hold its 55th National Conference. The incumbent president of the ANC Cyril Ramaphosa seems to be the most popular thus far, as nominations continue to be announced.
Branch General meetings (BGMs) are now done and over 80% of the branches have successfully qualified to form part of the conference.
The ball now moves to the electoral committee to consolidate all nominations and for Provincial General Councils to announce who the nine provinces have endorsed.
Ramaphosa enjoys the support of 8 provinces, the Women’s League and the Veterans League whilst KZN and the Youth League are backing Mkhize.
ANC’s national youth task team (NYTT) Spokesperson Sizophila Mkhize says “We endorsed Dr Zweli Mkhize for president, Paul Mashatile as Deputy President, Fikile Mbalula as SG, Nomvula Mokonyane as Deputy SG and then Pule Mabe as Treasurer General.”
ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe says some slates are of passengers who add no value but are elected just because of a dominant leader.
“We desist from this issue of looking at a faction leader and give a faction leader a lineup from fellow travellers. We must scan every leader we are putting on the ballot paper and ensure that we select what we think is the best and if we don’t do that the ANC is not going to perform and it will be what branches put through.”
Acting Secretary General of the ANC, Paul Mashatile says it’s all systems go for the National Conference, come December the 16th. “By Monday this week, we were sitting above 80 percent of branches that have now gone through successfully. I think if I am correct, about 82%. We will count then what happened until last night, hoping we might even get to 90 percent. We think it’s a good number to now proceed to confirm because we only required 70% of branches in good standing. Sitting at about 80%, I think now is good enough.”
Branches of the ANC will now have to decide the fate of the liberation movement, paving a way on whether the party can curb dwindling electoral fortunes as they prepare for the 2024 General Elections.
