The African National Congress (ANC) in the Western Cape says it will seek to elect a credible structure that will address socio-economic disparities in the province during its April provincial conference in a bid to regain public trust.
The party’s National Executive Committee has given the Interim Provincial Committee until the 8th of April to hold their conference. The ANC in the Western Cape is the only province not have held its provincial conference.
The ANC in the Western Cape has not had leadership since December 2019, after it was dissolved, due to infighting. The party has been led by an interim structure.
Video: Western Cape ANC finally ready to hold provincial conference
Last year, the province struggled to hold a provincial conference after failing to meet the 70% threshold of branches in good standing. The party says it plans to rejuvenate its branches to attend to issues faced by the citizens in the province.
“The NEC agreed that the conference must go ahead. it is the last remaining conference the free state went ahead. The process must be concurrent with the Dullar Omar and the Southern Cape will be taken to the conference by the newly elected PEC immediately. But the process must run concurrently. Yes, I can confirm we will be holding the provincial conference. The only smaller issue was the identified date was on the easter weekend,” explains ANC Western Cape spokesperson Sifiso Mtsweni.
A political analyst says it is imperative for the party to have an elected structure in order to be trusted by the public.
Prof. Zwelinzima Ndevu, from the School of Leadership at Stellenbsch university, says, “In the Western Cape, there is this historical divide between the people who live in informal settlements and townships and those who live in affluent areas. And the ANC has historically positioned itself as the voice of the downtrodden. If they don’t have a structure that is elected then that voice diminishes. You have a disjointed voice coming out. Another thing you want to have a structure in order to prepare for elections next year.”
The party’s National Executive Committee has deployed members to meet with the Interim Committee this week to assist with organising of the conference. Branches will start electing their preferred candidates from next week until the first week in April.
