Africa-Press – South-Africa. An ANC member was killed, and another stabbed during a branch general meeting (BGM) in Mpumalanga.
The ANC has encouraged its regions to use the police to help ensure BGMs were held without incident.
Party structures were concluding BGMs for nominations of ANC leadership candidates ahead of the December conference.
The meetings have not been violence-free.
In Mpumalanga, the ANC in the Ehlanzeni region reported a member was stabbed and another killed during a BGM meeting.
“The ANC in Ehlanzeni region has learnt with great shock about the violent behaviour of some members of the ANC, which is alleged to have taken place in a BGM of the ANC in Ward 21, Mbombela sub-region, on 23 October in Kanyamazane community hall. We’ve been informed that Norman Ngwenya died, and another comrade was injured during the BGM.
“During this very difficult moment, we’re also encouraged by branches taking the work of the ANC very seriously, and as Ehlanzeni region, we have now passed the 70% mark in the preliminary verification report.
“We call upon all members of the ANC in the region to be calm and work towards the organisation’s renewal. The REC [regional executive committee] is still going to process a report on the conduct of these few members that are destabilising the work of the organisation in the Mbombela sub-region,” the ANC in Mpumalanga said.
On Tuesday, ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe echoed similar sentiments during a press briefing.
He said ANC structures had been informed to use law enforcement agencies to ensure BGMs were held peacefully.
“We have told our structures to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure BGMs are conducted peacefully. We should not come back and deal with incidents of violence in our BGMs. Most meetings have been peaceful,” Mabe added.
A special ANC national executive committee meeting, which was held last week, decided to extend the deadline for BGMs.
The meetings are the only avenue, ahead of the conference, for ANC members to nominate their desired leaders.
They also ensure party delegates to the conference are solidified.
Once the ANC has concluded its BGMs, the nominations will be consolidated to compile a list of members who have reached the threshold.
Mabe blamed load shedding and the ANC online membership verification system for the delay in hundreds of branches not meeting the original deadline for nominations.
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