Western Cape ANC secretary Neville Delport has warned the incoming leadership of the Cape metro region that the structure he leads will have the final say on party issues.
Speaking on the first day of the two-day regional conference in Cape Town on Saturday, Delport laid down the law telling delegates that whoever they elect to lead the region will have to submit to the provincial leadership while securing more votes for the party in next year’s general elections.
The Dullah Omar region (Cape metro) is the biggest in terms of party membership and number of voters and for many years was the home of at least half of the ANC’s members in the province.
While it is not clear what prompted Delport’s remarks, at the recent provincial conference in June where he was elected as provincial secretary, the majority of the region’s branches did not support his candidacy.
Delport, who is originally from the West Coast region acknowledged he rose through the “Rural for Change” slate. He said the slate or “project” wanted to create an ANC leadership that understands the pain of farmworkers and communities.
“We wanted to have a say in the business of the ANC in this province [but] after that conference, we decided to disband that project.”
He said for the ANC to topple the governing DA, its members will have to unite but also “infiltrate” the coloured communities.
“As we approach this conference, we rely on Cape metro to contribute to our election results,” said Delport.
“If you look at the last results in this metro, you must be ashamed. You must take collective responsibility,” he said, to loud heckling from some of the 300 delegates.
“This time around we will not allow lazy leaders, especially in the metro.”
Dullah Omar’s last regional executive committee was disbanded in February 2022 for poor performance.
“Your contribution after this conference … and [to the] elected leadership when it’s pronounced tomorrow, you must know, you are not bigger than the PEC [provincial executive committee].
“Go and read your constitution. Don’t think just because you have a sizeable number of voters … some of you sitting here claim to be leaders; you are not even known in your own street. Some of you can’t even bring 200 voters during an election.”
In the November local government elections, support for the ANC in the metro plunged to just 18% of the vote from 39% in 2006.
Khayelitsha Development Forum chair Ndithini Tyhido and Tshepo Moletsane, who used to work in the office of former Cape Town ANC leader Xolani Sotashe, have been nominated for the regional chairperson position.
Voting for the top five positions was scheduled to take place on Sunday morning.
Source: Times Live