Johannesburg - The SACP in Gauteng has warned its provincial counterpart - the ANC - about looming factional battles ahead of its regional and provincial conferences.
In its warning, SACP deputy secretary Sekete Moshoeshoe alerted the top provincial leaders that some of their provincial executive members were already being lobbied for senior positions in the Gauteng’s ANC ahead of the party’s elective conference in June.
“At a subjective level, the SACP noted that while maximum unity is necessary and required across the revolutionary Alliance to face these sets of clear challenges, the divisive demons of factionalism and the slate market are already in full swing as the ANC prepares for its provincial conferences, particularly in our province of Gauteng.
“Already, media platforms and social media are awash with factional “road-shows” and slate branding that can only deepen confusion within the working class and the revolutionary people. Unrefuted media reports highlight two main factions at a provincial level, whilst there are many other countless factional brands at a regional level,” Moshoeshoe said.
The warning came as the Gauteng ANC had already announced the disbandment of its regional leadership as their term of office had lapsed and have now established regional task teams across five of its regions.
In a surprise announcement, Gauteng ANC secretary Jacob Khawe said a total of 420 of its branches were in good standing to hold branch meetings.
“The membership report signed off by the ANC SGO at Luthuli House confirms that 420 branches have at least 100 members in good standing, and they qualify to convene biennial branch general Meetings. Four out of five regions are also ready to proceed to their regional conferences once the branches have convened successful meetings,” Khawe said.
These revelations are in contrast to a report tabled by the ANC head of organising Nomvula Mokonyane to the ANC’s national executive committee in January.
Mokonyane and his organising and campaign committee gave a dim view of Gauteng's ANC readiness to hold regional and provincial conferences.
The ANC NEC heard that out of 529 branches, only four branches of good standing had already had meetings in preparation for regional conferences and provincial conferences, while 504 branches had yet to organise such meetings.
But, according to Khawe, the Gauteng provincial executive committee meeting held its meeting on Tuesday to receive a report on the status of the membership of all branches and regions and assess the readiness of Regions to convene their Regional Conferences in April.
Political Bureau