THE much-anticipated ANC OR Tambo regional congress in Eastern Cape ground to a halt yesterday because of allegations of inflating membership and ghost delegates, leading to a verification exercise.
The conference went into its third day without much progress as disputes over delegates' credentials took centre stage, despite attempts to resolve complaints from branches since Friday.
Besides the opening address by provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle and the political report by regional chairman Thandekila Sabisa on Saturday, not much was achieved by yesterday afternoon at Walter Sisulu University's Zamukulungiswa campus in Mthatha.
The outcome of the influential OR Tambo gathering is crucial to the respective ANC factions seeking to influence the December nationalelective conference inMangaung.
The region is the biggest in Eastern Cape and the second largest ANC region in the country - after eThekwini.
Until late afternoon yesterday, delegates were still being verified after a decision by the conference that "master lists" (originally approved lists) be used in verifying the legitimate delegates to attend the conference.
Conference was only to resume after 2pm with the plenary session still debating the credentials.
The results of the highly contested conference will determine the extent of support, respectively for President Jacob Zuma and his deputy Kgalema Motlanthe's campaigns in the (ANC) province, towards the run-up to Mangaung.
Sabisa, who is linked to the "forces of change" grouping seeking Zuma's removal, will run against his one-time ally, William Ngozi, who is said to be part of the Zuma lobby group.
Despite assurances from the provincial leadership that everything was under control, there were whispers from the conference floor that the congress couldcollapse.
It was clear the various groupings were unlikely to agree on the contentious issue of credentials - which ultimately influences thevoting process and results.
With only four months to the Mangaung, winning support in Eastern Cape - the second biggest ANC province - will improve the chances of either grouping.
Recent outcomes of other regional conferences in the province seem to indicate that the "forces of change" have the upper hand.
The Zuma grouping's recent loss was the humiliation of Land and Rural Development Minister Gugile Nkwinti, who lost the chairmanship of the Sarah Baartman region toMlungisi Mvoko two weeks ago.
Nkwinti only received 66 votes to Mvoko's 135.
This setback for the Zuma grouping means a win in OR Tambo will be a much needed psychological boost, which will strengthen their hand for Mangaung.
So far Zuma has overwhelming support in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Free State.
His grouping claims to have considerable support in Limpopo, Northern Cape, some parts of Gauteng and Northern Cape.
However, support for Zuma in Eastern Cape and Western Cape still remainsunconvincing.
ANC Tambo congress hits snags
THE much-anticipated ANC OR Tambo regional congress in Eastern Cape ground to a halt yesterday because of allegations of inflating membership and ghost delegates, leading to a verification exercise.
The conference went into its third day without much progress as disputes over delegates' credentials took centre stage, despite attempts to resolve complaints from branches since Friday.
Besides the opening address by provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle and the political report by regional chairman Thandekila Sabisa on Saturday, not much was achieved by yesterday afternoon at Walter Sisulu University's Zamukulungiswa campus in Mthatha.
The outcome of the influential OR Tambo gathering is crucial to the respective ANC factions seeking to influence the December nationalelective conference inMangaung.
The region is the biggest in Eastern Cape and the second largest ANC region in the country - after eThekwini.
Until late afternoon yesterday, delegates were still being verified after a decision by the conference that "master lists" (originally approved lists) be used in verifying the legitimate delegates to attend the conference.
Conference was only to resume after 2pm with the plenary session still debating the credentials.
The results of the highly contested conference will determine the extent of support, respectively for President Jacob Zuma and his deputy Kgalema Motlanthe's campaigns in the (ANC) province, towards the run-up to Mangaung.
Sabisa, who is linked to the "forces of change" grouping seeking Zuma's removal, will run against his one-time ally, William Ngozi, who is said to be part of the Zuma lobby group.
Despite assurances from the provincial leadership that everything was under control, there were whispers from the conference floor that the congress couldcollapse.
It was clear the various groupings were unlikely to agree on the contentious issue of credentials - which ultimately influences thevoting process and results.
With only four months to the Mangaung, winning support in Eastern Cape - the second biggest ANC province - will improve the chances of either grouping.
Recent outcomes of other regional conferences in the province seem to indicate that the "forces of change" have the upper hand.
The Zuma grouping's recent loss was the humiliation of Land and Rural Development Minister Gugile Nkwinti, who lost the chairmanship of the Sarah Baartman region toMlungisi Mvoko two weeks ago.
Nkwinti only received 66 votes to Mvoko's 135.
This setback for the Zuma grouping means a win in OR Tambo will be a much needed psychological boost, which will strengthen their hand for Mangaung.
So far Zuma has overwhelming support in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Free State.
His grouping claims to have considerable support in Limpopo, Northern Cape, some parts of Gauteng and Northern Cape.
However, support for Zuma in Eastern Cape and Western Cape still remainsunconvincing.
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