Durban – The ANC’s top officials are expected to head to eThekwini today in a bid to try sort out the “instability” in region.
The region, which is the ANC’s biggest, has been marred with controversy with the party failing to convene a successful conference.
On Sunday, following a two-day national executive committee meeting ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe announced that the party’s leadership would visit the area after its visit to another troubled region, Nelson Mandela Bay.
During the ANC leadership’s visit to Nelson Mandela Bay on Monday the party replaced 83-year-old mayor Benson Fihla with SA Football Association boss Danny Jordaan.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday Mantashe said the top officials were visiting the regions – Nelson Mandela Bay and eThekwini – because there was “relative instability”.
“We going to eThekwini because we must move quick to that conference and have stability.
“It’s not our intention to suppress the right to contest, but our intention is to ensure that if you contest please play according to the rules,” he said.
The eThekwini conference, which was scheduled to convene for the fourth time, was adjourned indefinitely earlier this month after disgruntled members, believed to be in Councillor Zandile Gumede’s faction, disrupted proceedings.
EThekwini Mayor James Nxumalo and Gumede were in the race for the highly contested position of regional chairmanship.
Last week, eThekwini councillor Nigel Gumede was reportedly poised to join the race.
At least three ANC sources told News24 at the time that Nigel Gumede resigned from the Provincial Executive Committee in order to be able to run for the chairmanship.
The sources also suggested that Nxumalo might step down in order to allow Nigel Gumede to go head-to-head with fellow exco member Zandile Gumede.
News24
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