A THIRD attempt by members of the ANC's Olivenhout branch in Tshwane to nominate their candidate for the ANC's top position has flopped.
The meeting deteriorated into chaos and different camps threatened one another.
Sowetan understands that tempers boiled when a regional leader, whose name is known, overseeing the meeting embarked on what one branch member described as "cut and paste of membership".
The regional leader is accused of sneaking in members whose names were not on the audited list, to boost President Jacob Zuma's chances of being nominated for a second term.
After much protestation from the group supporting Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, regional leader George Matjila was called to bring the meeting to order.
A branch member said although calm was restored on Matjila's arrival, tempers flared once again when the Zuma camp realised they were overpowered in numbers.
"There was no physical fight, it was just hooligans with people threatening each other and disturbing the entire process. The deployee decided that the meeting be dissolved," he said.
With the November 30 cut-off date looming, Sunday was its last chance to hold a successful branch general meeting or face being excluded from the Mangaung conference next month.
Branch secretary George Khumalo said they would request an extension from the provincial leadership.
He acknowledged the waging war between factions within the branch, but downplayed it as "normal".
Gauteng provincial spokesman Dumisa Ntuli condemned the violence, saying there were clear guidelines about lobbying and that it would not be right for members to use violence to influence one another on who to nominate.
Chaos at ANC branch's 3rd meeting
A THIRD attempt by members of the ANC's Olivenhout branch in Tshwane to nominate their candidate for the ANC's top position has flopped.
The meeting deteriorated into chaos and different camps threatened one another.
Sowetan understands that tempers boiled when a regional leader, whose name is known, overseeing the meeting embarked on what one branch member described as "cut and paste of membership".
The regional leader is accused of sneaking in members whose names were not on the audited list, to boost President Jacob Zuma's chances of being nominated for a second term.
After much protestation from the group supporting Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, regional leader George Matjila was called to bring the meeting to order.
A branch member said although calm was restored on Matjila's arrival, tempers flared once again when the Zuma camp realised they were overpowered in numbers.
"There was no physical fight, it was just hooligans with people threatening each other and disturbing the entire process. The deployee decided that the meeting be dissolved," he said.
With the November 30 cut-off date looming, Sunday was its last chance to hold a successful branch general meeting or face being excluded from the Mangaung conference next month.
Branch secretary George Khumalo said they would request an extension from the provincial leadership.
He acknowledged the waging war between factions within the branch, but downplayed it as "normal".
Gauteng provincial spokesman Dumisa Ntuli condemned the violence, saying there were clear guidelines about lobbying and that it would not be right for members to use violence to influence one another on who to nominate.
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