The newly appointed leadership of the ANC in the Makana sub-region has put service delivery, fighting corruption, ensuring accountability and unifying the party at the top of their list ahead of next year's local government elections.
The newly appointed leadership of the ANC in the Makana sub-region has put service delivery, fighting corruption, ensuring accountability and unifying the party at the top of their list ahead of next year's local government elections.
In its sub-regional conference, the ANC elected a new leadership with just the chairperson and deputy chairperson's positions contested at the event at the BB Zondani hall.
Mabhuti Matyumza was up against Mncedisi Boma for the chairperson position and Matyumza prevailed. For the deputy chairperson's position, Nombulelo Masoma was up against former ANC secretary Zanky Mahlahla and Masoma emerged victorious.
The rest of the top five positions were elected unopposed – Andile Hoyi as secretary, Thembakazi Seyisi as deputy secretary and Buyisile Jonas as treasurer.
Additional members are Noncedo Magadaza, Ndumiso Madinda, Mbuyiseli Bojo, Phumla Matyumza and Nomazwi Fuku.
Former mayor Zamuxolo Peter and former council speaker Rachel Madinda-Isaac were also contesting additional membership positions but they came short.
Speaking at an ANC press briefing on Wednesday this week, Matyumza said 10 out of 14 ANC branches attended the conference.
He thanked the branches for putting their faith in the current leadership, saying one of their goals was creating a space for people who feel left out to participate in organisational matters.
Matyumza said this was important because some ANC members had left the party due to feelings of exclusion.
"We are going to affirm the democratic and mass character of the ANC by creating an environment for political debates as the basis of political discipline within the structures of the movement," he said.
Matyumza said they wanted to strengthen the alliance through joint programmes of action and cadre development. "We are going to ensure that we root out corruption and ensure accountability," he added.
Secretary Andile Hoyi said, despite the fact that some positions were contested, there was no "bloodshed" during the conference. "There are always different views and we allow the democratic processes of the organisation to be exercised," he said.
The leadership of the sub-region believes that the key heading to the local government elections next year is to ensure that the ANC led Makana Municipality adopts the back to basics approach and provide services to the people.
Matyumza was confident about his party's fate in the 2016 elections.
"We are going to win the upcoming local government elections with an overwhelming majority and make sure that we fix our municipality so that the ANC can deliver and improve the lives of our people," he said.
anele@grocotts.co.za
