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Efforts by the ANC national executive committee (NEC) to mend the rift and stop disgruntled ANC Free State members from taking the party to court over the “illegally constituted” provincial executive committee (PEC) have hit a brick wall.
The discontented Free State members, who are signatories to the latest interdict at the high court in Bloemfontein to nullify the May provincial conference, are accusing the party of not taking their grievances seriously when it chose to deploy party secretary general Ace Magashule to the province.
They accuse him of bias and exclusionary handling of the matter, as well as being the originator of their problems.
Representing the NEC, Magashule last week visited the deeply divided province and addressed a packed Phuthaditjhaba Stadium in Qwaqwa, urging ANC members to strive for unity and stop “chasing after party positions”, which he said leads to divisions.
In this same breath, Magashule singled out recently reinstated Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality Mayor Vusi Tshabalala, who was kicked out of council in May for alleged corruption, and described him as “the only person whom I know to be a hard worker from the province”.
“Hey Vusi, when enemies surround you don’t make a noise, just stand up and sing a hymn,” he said.
He urged all ANC Free State members to resemble the ANC of old: “Let us return to the ANC of [Nelson] Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Chris Hani and Joe Slovo, which was characterised by unity,” said Magashule.
This singling out of one member for recognition did not sit well with the already disgruntled members.
Neo Motaung, one of the signatories, told City Press on Thursday that it was not surprising that Magashule had singled out Tshabalala for praise, since “the two are close allies”.
The aggrieved member said “the choice by the ANC NEC to utilise Magashule as a go-between was not a well-thought-out one”.
“Magashule and members loyal to him – Tshabalala included – have been accused countless times of running the province using mafia tactics,” he said.
“I am surprised that Magashule would come all the way to the Free State to preach unity and yet instead of being accompanied by the current Maluti-a-Phofung municipality mayor, Gilbert Mokotso, he chooses to align himself with Tshabalala, who was booted out of council after allegations of corruption.
“If the ANC was really serious about resolving this matter out of court then the NEC should have come and met with the disgruntled members and resolved this matter with urgency because as it is there are no ANC structures in the province.
“As soon as Magashule loyalists are legally voted out of their positions for involvement in corrupt activities the former premier resurrects illegitimate parallel branches and renominates his allies,” said Motaung.
DA Drakensberg constituency head Leona Kleynhans described Tshabalala’s reinstatement as follows: “October 25 2018 will remain a sad day for the Maluti-a-Phofung people as this is the day the failing ANC reinstated the former mayor, Vusi Tshabalala, as a councillor on the instruction of the ANC Free State PEC.”
Kleynhans called Tshabalala “a bosom buddy of Magashule” and questioned why, although he had been removed as a mayor, he continued to receive his councillor’s allowance.
Tshabalala denied any wrongdoing and said he was never pushed out of the mayoral position.
“I resigned as mayor, but retained a position in the council,” said Tshabalala.
He requested that any questions relating to his alleged relationship with Magashule be addressed to party spokesperson Pule Mabe, who until publication of this article had not responded to all attempts to reach him.
Last year the court ruled that the provincial conference, which was a direct result of events that occurred during branch general meetings, was unlawful and unconstitutional.
Last December, the court nullified the PEC and a provincial task team was set up to sort out affairs in the province. Both the PEC and task team are allegedly constituted of members loyal to Magashule.
Motaung said leading up to next year’s elections if the ANC truly seeks to have a squeaky clean image then it needs to deal decisively with public representatives such as Magashule.
Motaung also said the situation in the Free State was truly disheartening for loyal ANC supporters as all the branch structures had been decimated.
“It is all good and well to kick-start the Thuma Mina campaign nationally for the elections, but if there are no foot soldiers to drive the mandate then the ANC should forget about winning in this province,” he said.
