The ANC Eastern Cape’s elective conference has postponed the start of the official proceedings to this afternoon.
Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, head of communications in the province, said this was to allow the registration team and delegates, who had worked until 6am on Friday morning, time to rest.
“Our registration team slept very late because registration [was] delayed until 6am. They will be coming back at 11am to continue with registration,” she said.
Ndabeni-Abrahams said out of 1700 delegates, only 200 were left to
be registered. Proceedings could only start once registration was finalised, she
said.
According to the conference programme, day two of the conference should have started at 9am today.
“Both [the] delegates and the registration teams are tired so [we] said they must get some sleep so that no mistakes are made. The programme will commence at 2pm once everyone is ready,” Ndabeni-Abrahams said.
The provincial chairpersons of the ANC, Phumulo Masualle, is expected to kick-off the conference with the opening address.
Xola Pakati, Dr W.B Rubusana’s regional chairperson, who is also the Buffalo City executive mayor, is due to welcome the delegates.
This will then be followed by a programme outline and conference rules presented by provincial secretary, Oscar Mabuyane.
Mabuyane and Masualle are the front runners to for the position of provincial chair.
The first session of the conference, which is open to the media, will then conclude with messages of support from alliance partners and an input from the ANC national executive committee.