DURBAN - ANC branches in KwaZulu-Natal have resumed preparations for regional conferences after the party finally resolved a long-standing salary dispute with the head-office staff.
Branch general meetings stalled after staff at Luthuli House downed tools in demand of their salary settlement. The new party system for a branch meeting to form a quorum is managed by the head office to prevent what the party termed as gatekeeping – where party branch leaders would manipulate the attendance and prevent the participation of members whom they knew would not support their election.
Provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli told the Daily News that branches had resumed meetings in preparation for regional conferences, saying the process was necessitated by the return to work of head-office staff after the party’s national leadership reached an agreement with the staff over pay issues.
He said the party had set a new deadline for all regions to finish by the end of March.
“Branches are back at work. We have told them to resume preparations for regional conferences since all matters have been resolved at the head office. We are expecting that all regions will have elected new leadership by the end of March,” said Ntuli.
eThekwini regional task team convener Kwazi Mshengu said by Sunday they were expecting 10 branches to finish their processes so that the conference would meet the required threshold of 70%. Out of 110 branches in eThekwini, the party needs at least 78 in order to sit for the conference.
Mshengu said he was optimistic that when the task team received a report on Monday the threshold would have been met.
Although not confirmed, the long-awaited conference is likely to be held on March 19 at a venue still to be decided on, where current speaker Thabani Nyawose and former mayor Zandile Gumede would lock horns for the all-powerful chairperson position.
In her slate Gumede is deputised by the current party chief whip in eThekwini Municipality Thembo Ntuli; businessman Musa Nciki comes in as a secretary while exco member Nkosenhle Madlala would deputise him.
Former councillor Zoe Shabalala wants the treasury position. On this slate Nyawose comes with the likes of Mthunzi Dlamini and current exco member Thanduxolo Sabela, among others.
Other regions due for elective conferences are Lower South Coast which includes municipalities like Umzumbe in Hibberdene, Ray Nkonyeni in Port Shepstone, Umziwabantu in Harding, and Umdoni in Umzinto. Bhambatha region incorporates Greytown, Umsinga, Nquthu and Dundee while Musa Dladla includes Richards Bay/eMpangeni, Nkandla, Melmoth and Eshowe.
Other regions also due for new leaderships are Harry Gwala which is made up of Ixopo, Umzimkhulu, Kokstad and Bulwer as well as Mzala Nxumalo which comprises Vryheid, Ulundi, Nongoma and Pongola. All the regions would have to also pronounce their slates for the provincial and national conferences which are expected to sit in June and December.
Daily News