Johannesburg - Some Limpopo and Gauteng delegates have accused the chairperson of the ANC Electoral Committee of attempting to sneak fallen ANC members, such as Pravin Gordhan and others who recently resigned from NEC positions, through the back door.
It is reported that the current number of NEC members is being increased from 200 to 250 to ensure that those who favour President Cyril Ramaphosa are given an opportunity to be part of the ANC. The NEC is paving the way for Ramaphosa's ANC support to grow.
Some Limpopo and Gauteng delegates have accused the chairperson of the ANC Electoral Committee of attempting to sneak fallen ANC members, such as Pravin Gordhan and others who have recently resigned from NEC positions, through the back door.
It is reported that the current number of NEC members is being increased from 200 to 240 to ensure that those who favour President Cyril Ramaphosa are given an opportunity to be part of the ANC NEC, making way for Ramaphosa's support base in the ANC to increase. One of the members accused electoral committee chairperson Kgalema Motlanthe of wanting to increase the official list (NEC list) from 200 to 240 just so they could add Pravin, Naledi Pandor, Dr Joe Phaahla (health minister), and Sibongiseni Dlomo to the list, saying these are the main members of the Cyril Ramaphosa faction who will ensure that his cabinet should he win will be stronger.
"They call Cyril’s team the 'premium team'. What Kgalema is doing is criminal, actually. Why would Kgalema play for Cyril? Kgalema, Cyril, and Gwede are all unionists, NUM, and ANC former Secretary-Generals," this delegate and member of the ANC alleged.
Yet another ANC member from the Gauteng province complained of the same, saying he had heard of such a move.
"It is true and very tragic that there is an attempt to increase the number of the ANC NEC from 200 to 250. It is clear what is happening here. Everything is being manipulated to ensure that the NEC has enough of a pro-Ramaphosa faction so that when he gets a second term, he has enough of his people in the NEC. It is very tragic," the member said.
Speaking to The Star, ANC electoral committee secretary Chief Livhuwani Matsila said the decision to increase the NEC members list was to ensure that more women are represented, adding that there was no truth to reports that this was done to ensure President Ramaphosa's support is consolidated. " There is a decision already to increase the number of NEC members from 200 to 240.
"The reason for this increase is to accommodate more women in the ANC NEC. There is certainly no truth to the suggestion that this was done to ensure more support for the president," Matsila said.
However, Carl Niehaus said the whole conference was a sham and a crime site as everything was being manipulated to favour Ramaphosa.
"It is all a sham. This whole conference is a sham and a crime site. It is being run by a criminal syndicate who want to ensure Ramaphosa wins at all costs," he said.
This comes after the Johannesburg High Court dismissed an urgent court bid seeking to challenge processes leading up to the publication of the final list of 200 nominees for the National Executive Committee (NEC) that will be on the ballot at the party’s national conference, which begins on Friday.
The application was brought by a group of disgruntled party members who failed to make the cut. They cited flawed internal processes and a lack of transparency that had prejudiced them.
The Star