The ANC Johannesburg regional conference has been marred by allegations of bribery and vote-buying by those seeking a mandate to lead the organisation for the next three years and points to internal ructions that could hurt the party in next year’s local government elections. According to senior party leaders in the regional executive committee (REC), some delegates were promised jobs — including employment for family members — should the slate they support emerge victorious at the16th regional conferencewhich started in northern Johannesburg on Wednesday and was set to close on Friday. At the time of going to print, it was not yet clear who would emerge victorious as regional person between incumbentDada Morero, the Johannesburg mayor, and his challenger, MMC for financeLoyiso Masuku, who is also the deputy regional secretary.
ANC secretary generalFikile Mbalulainstructed the Gautengleadership to ensure that the conference starts no later than 3 December, as the party’s National General Council (NGC) is scheduled for later in the month. Regional leaders had wanted the conference to run from Friday to Sunday, but Mbalula rejected that date. Some delegates at the conference had been paid to vote a certain way ahead of the conference, a regional executive committee member told theMail & Guardianon Wednesday, adding that concerns about bribery had been raised within the party but ignored.
“There are people who were given brown envelopes containing power banks, an ANC hat, and R3 000 in cash. We can’t go on like this as an organisation, where people use money to influence delegates so that they can take power,” the source said. “It’s Christmas and people need the money but the problem is that the ANC gets to suffer by electing people that are not fit.” Another seniorANCmember told the M&G that they were aware of people who were paid R10 000 each with the promise of even more benefits after the conference.
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Some were promised jobs in the municipality if their slate won. “You can’t really blame them. They are unemployed, and here is an opportunity to get R10 000 and the promise that you and your entire family will get positions should that slate win.
You are most likely to take it,” the source said. The M&G approached several delegates at the conference about the allegations, but none agreed to speak, with most saying they did not want to get into trouble. Responding to questions from the M&G on the sidelines of the conference on Wednesday, Morero acknowledged what he called the “devil of money and money politics” in the ANC, which persisted even though the organisation tried to condemn the practice.
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