African National Congress (ANC) Presidential hopeful, Dr. Zweli Mkhize, says he is optimistic that that the party’s much anticipated leadership elective conference will be successful.
This is amid widening speculation that the conference could collapse due to a number of court challenges brought against the number of provincial structures like in the Free State and Eastern Cape provinces.
The community welcomed Mkhize as he made his way through a packed hall at Emdeni Township south of Johannesburg.
With a few days left before the elective conference, the ANC Treasurer-General was in high spirits as he wooed potential supporters.
Reacting to reports that the conference might collapse due to a series of court challenges against the legitimacy of some provincial leadership structures, Mkhize said he was optimistic that the much awaited gathering will proceed without any hindrance.
“We want to ensure that all court challenges don’t stand in the way of the conference and so that disputes are resolved. Those members are well behaved and disciplined but the ANC must engage as a united force and deal with problems of the people.”
In response to concerns by the governing party’s veterans that the ANC leadership has violated its values and principles, Mkhize said there is a need to engage stalwarts, describing them as a reservoir of knowledge.
“We have veterans that we respect so that they can continue playing a role as a moral guide. We would encourage them to work closely with the ANC leadership to offer guidance that we need for our struggle.”
Close to 5000 delegates will gather in Nasrec south of Johannesburg at the weekend for the ANC national conference which will elect a new leadership with a President to succeed Jacob Zuma as leader of the party.
