The ANC on Friday confirmed that it will definitely be convening its 55th national conference at Nasrec in Johannesburg next month.
This is according to the party’s national spokesperson, Pule Mabe, who said 70% of branch general meetings (BGMs) that selected delegates for the elective event have done so. The selection process closes on Monday.
The party needs at least 70% of its branches to constitute a national conference quorum.
Several hurdles that led to extensions of the nomination process and BGMs raised concern the conference might be postponed, but this will no longer happen as the party goes full steam ahead to elect new national leaders at the December 16-20 gathering.
“We have surpassed the 70% mark required to convene conference. Successful BMGs that have sat are now well over 2,700, so by the time the process closes on [Monday] we should be having a bigger number,” said Mabe.
“We are encouraged by those provinces that have worked hard to make sure we achieve this”
Mabe said the party’s national executive committee (NEC) will meet at the same venue next weekend to receive an update on readiness for the event.
The meeting will be the first physical session of the NEC since the outbreak of Covid-19 in March 2020.
After the curtain comes down on BGMs on Monday, the consolidation of nominations will be concluded by November 12.
Thereafter, screening and vetting of those nominated will take place until November 18, after which party members will have four days to lodge appeals and complaints about the nomination process.
On November 24 the final list of nominees will be published.
Those who do not make the cut can get another shot at the conference if they are nominated from the floor by no less than 25% of delegates.
In a first for the governing party, ANC provinces are no longer compelled to convene provincial general councils (PGCs) to consolidate nominations and form a provincial view.
“In the past, provinces needed to go to the PGC to consolidate a provincial view. The new guidelines, however, put that authority on branches of the ANC. It is the views of branches that are ultimately going to prevail,” said Mabe.
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ANC elective conference 'will go ahead'
Image: Freddy Mavunda
The ANC on Friday confirmed that it will definitely be convening its 55th national conference at Nasrec in Johannesburg next month.
This is according to the party’s national spokesperson, Pule Mabe, who said 70% of branch general meetings (BGMs) that selected delegates for the elective event have done so. The selection process closes on Monday.
The party needs at least 70% of its branches to constitute a national conference quorum.
Several hurdles that led to extensions of the nomination process and BGMs raised concern the conference might be postponed, but this will no longer happen as the party goes full steam ahead to elect new national leaders at the December 16-20 gathering.
“We have surpassed the 70% mark required to convene conference. Successful BMGs that have sat are now well over 2,700, so by the time the process closes on [Monday] we should be having a bigger number,” said Mabe.
“We are encouraged by those provinces that have worked hard to make sure we achieve this”
Mabe said the party’s national executive committee (NEC) will meet at the same venue next weekend to receive an update on readiness for the event.
The meeting will be the first physical session of the NEC since the outbreak of Covid-19 in March 2020.
After the curtain comes down on BGMs on Monday, the consolidation of nominations will be concluded by November 12.
Thereafter, screening and vetting of those nominated will take place until November 18, after which party members will have four days to lodge appeals and complaints about the nomination process.
On November 24 the final list of nominees will be published.
Those who do not make the cut can get another shot at the conference if they are nominated from the floor by no less than 25% of delegates.
In a first for the governing party, ANC provinces are no longer compelled to convene provincial general councils (PGCs) to consolidate nominations and form a provincial view.
“In the past, provinces needed to go to the PGC to consolidate a provincial view. The new guidelines, however, put that authority on branches of the ANC. It is the views of branches that are ultimately going to prevail,” said Mabe.
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Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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