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Security beefed up ahead of the Limpopo ANC’s 10th provincial elective conference

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Security has been beefed up at the Ranch hotel, outside of Polokwane in Limpopo, just ahead of the 10th African National Congress (ANC) provincial elective conference set to commence on Friday.

Delegates and media personnel have to go through a vigorous security check, with Police using sniffer dogs in the process.

More than 700 delegates are expected to be part of this conference set to take place until Sunday. ANC Treasurer General Paul Mashatile will officially open the conference later in the day.

Hotly contested conference

It is expected to be a hotly contested conference yet, in Limpopo. This as Stan Mathabata and Dickson Masemola are set to compete for the Provincial Chairperson position.

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to close the conference on Sunday. The party in the province says it’s all systems for the conference with no delays excepted.

Limpopo ANC secretary, Soviet Lekganyane says all the disputes have been resolved and the appellants have received verdicts prior to the start of the elective conference.

Earlier, there were concerns that some branches and regions, including Capricorn regional executive committee, might be excluded from participating in the conference. Lekganyane says they’re ready to go into conference.

“It is all system go…logistical arrangements have been sorted out. We are ready to commence with the programme of the provincial elective conference. We are very grateful the dispute were among us but we stand here with you all these disputes have been attended to and all the disputed and appellants have received their verdict.”

Remain divided

An independent political analyst Dr. Metji Makgoba says the ANC in Limpopo will most likely remain divided after this 10th provincial elective conference. The current chairperson, Mathabatha wants to be re-elected for the third term. Both Mathabatha and Masemola come from the same region, Sekhukhune, one of the biggest in the province. Makgoba says the high contestation of positions is not intended for the renewal of the party but to access resources.

“Stan Mathabatha factions have managed to regroup and re-position for themselves. Mathabatha will be able to win this contestation and the other faction is quite new. I don’t think Dickson Masemola has done enough to use his political capital to position himself as compared to Mathabatha. He is quite young but the ANC is going to remain divided because these people are not ideological battling to build the movement. It’s all about how they can remain in power so that they can have access to resources,” says Makgoba.

VIDEO: Limpopo ANC to kick off its 10th provincial conference in Waterberg

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