As voting for the Gauteng ANC top place of the chair was underway in Benoni on Sunday evening, supporters of Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Lebogang Maile expressed divergent views for rallying behind the 2 candidates.
With each leaders having accepted nominations for the place of provincial chair, most popular slates have been marked in slogan and in music, with Maile’s “Adiwele” and Lesufi’s “Renewal”.
ANC’s Gauteng convention
‘Sharp divisions’
Commenting on Gauteng ANC divisions, unbiased political analyst Dr Ralph Mathekga stated: “The divisions are fairly sharp in Gauteng and it is tough to see a compromise rising.
“Those who lose are sometimes left out within the chilly – one thing which additional exacerbate tensions after conferences.
“It is important they find a way to reconcile the divisions and build a stable leadership, because that is what they need to stay in power.”
In favour of Lesufi
Said a Lesufi supporter: “The purpose why the Ekurhuleni youth league, the rationale we’re rallying behind Lesufi is as a result of we consider within the type of management that he’s portraying.
“We see ourselves in his management – bored with people who find themselves all the time about themselves.
“It is about time the ANC Youth League develop into a part of decision-making within the areas.
“Lesufi is good because he understands the struggles of young people – especially youth unemployment. He talks to issues we envision as the Youth League.”
In favour of Maile
A Maile supporter stated Maile “is going to address issues affecting our people because he is a young and vocal person who will ensure that issues affecting our communities are addressed”.
Amid a myriad of challenges confronting the ANC in Gauteng, social gathering provincial secretary Jacob Khawe delivered an organisational report, scathing of the ANC efficiency.
Waning voter confidence
As Khawe pointed out, final 12 months’s native authorities elections performance was the clearest indication of a waning of voter confidence within the social gathering.
Having gained a mere 36.6% within the polls and having misplaced all metros, Khawe stated the end result of the ballot confirmed “our internal election research, which said that our voters are deserting us and are frustrated with the state of the organisation and decline in the quality of services, such as water, electricity, roads and jobs”.
“Our strategy to being of service to the individuals and the orientation of a few of these we deployed to be on the forefront of delivering service, has been the most important downside.
“We should reply the query on whether or not we’re deploying the proper individuals to develop into public representatives – whether or not they’re listening to the individuals and working with them to resolve their issues.
“This space requires particular consideration if we’re to show round our electoral fortunes.
“In Gauteng, the electoral support of the ANC has been in decline since 2011 in all municipalities,” stated Khawe.
The report discovered nearly all of branches in a state of disarray – “unable to fulfil the mandate as outlined in the constitution”.
“As a end result, the ANC turns into dysfunctional and loses contact.
“In order to address this, the ANC must address the findings on the state of the branches,” stated Khawe.