Siaybonga Sithole
The ANC Gauteng Provincial Conference in Benoni was almost brought to a halt due to an urgent court application issued against the ANC by one of its members Jabulani Derrick Sithole.
Sithole applied to the Johannesburg Regional Court to have the conference halted due to the 19 quarantined votes from branches in Ekurhuleni.
The conference has failed to progress beyond a few closed sessions as conference was forced to hold a special meeting in order to discuss the urgent court application by Sithole who on Saturday brought an urgent court application seeking an " Interdictory the court relief for the court to review and set aside" the decision by the ANC NEC taken on Friday, 24 June to proceed with the conference.
Sithole explained that the Gauteng PEC should decide on matters related to the outcome of the recent Ekurhuleni Regional conference affecting five disqualified branches and their 19 quarantined votes.
He further highlighted that the branch which he represented, Mzwakhe Ngomane branch seeks an Interdictory relief pending the final determination of the review application which he intends to file within15 days.
"My branch falls within the province of Gauteng, and as such, I participate in the affairs of the ANC throughout Gauteng....I am an applicant in these proceedings. I bring this application in my capacity as a member of this organisation in good standing. I do so in my right as a member of the ANC to demand that the ANC follows its rules and its constitution," he said.
In response to the application, Gauteng Premier David Makhura said he was confident the party’s legal team would be able to resolve the matter.
"The regional, provincial and national structures are working together so that we are able to defend the court order brought against the party. We have seen the court order brought by one member of the ANC against the party. Our policies are very clear as there matters that are dealt with by national regional and provincial structures. These structures must work together," Makhura told the media
Makhura also added that the security was meant to make sure that no person who is not supposed to attend the conference interfered with the proceedings.
"We are happy with the issue of security and how it has made sure that no one who is not supposed to be here is here. We as PEC took a decision which will be presented to conference and the whole PEC was unanimous we had five branches and one delegate and we cant be held to ransom by one delegate and five branches. Only the court can stop us and we want to get this conference to get under way. Please wait for the case and what we brief you about," Makhura added.