NEW ANC NEC members will have to wait to until 2023 be elected.
The surprise decision was taken by the national steering committee who decided on this approach, following the ANC 55th elective congress that concluded this afternoon at Nasrec.
The finalisation of the congress will only be concluded on January 5, next year during a hybrid sitting.
According to newly elected secretary-general of the organisation, Fikile Mbalula, this was perpetuated by several setbacks and delays and some of the members had left the conference earlier.
Among the factors, the committee cited for not finishing the conference within the stipulated five days was the time lost during registration.
A lot of time lost during the adoption of the credentials report and voting for the new Top 7 to be in office until 2027, he said.
“The finalisation of the credentials report, adverse weather conditions and voting procedures.
“Furthermore, by Tuesday, 20th December 2022 a number of delegates especially from distant provinces had started returning home.
“Due to these factors, it was not possible formally to adopt the commission’s reports and resolutions based on the deliberations of commissions in plenary.
“It must be emphasised the commissions’ meetings did take place and engaged in discussions based on the very thorough processes leading up to and at the 55th national policy conference held on the 28th to the 31st of July 2022,” Mbalula said.
He added that the steering committee was also mindful that some resolutions like constitutional amendments required a two-thirds vote of all delegates before they are ratified.
“It was clear to the steering (committee) that the national conference would have neither the time nor the required majority to adopt the constitutional amendments,” he said.
He then explained how the hybrid format which will conclude the business of the adjourned conference.
Among the measures to be put in place would be having central venues in each of the nine provinces and they would be connected to each other virtually.
“The rules adopted by national conference will apply to the continued sessions with the necessary modification as required by the different circumstances.
“The commission reports and drafts resolutions will be circulated to structures and delegates to prepare for the continued session.”
Various provincial chairpersons seconded the motion and the proposal was adopted and the conference moved to receive closing address by President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa, who was preceded by re-elected chairman Gwede Mantashe.
In his address Pres Ramaphosa made a promise to oversee issues such as Eskom, corruption, potholes, speedy infrastructure in municipalities, GBV and femicide, land, employment and gender parity within his party, amongst others.
Meanwhile, former ANC KwaZulu-Natal leader Mdumiseni Ntuli, who lost his bid to become the ANC secretary-general to newly-elected SG Fikile Mbalula, is now gunning for Pule Mabe’s position as ANC spokesperson.
In his effort to dust himself off, Ntuli thanked those who were by his side during the run-up to the conference.
“Thank you for everyone who elected me … Now I am campaigning as the spokesman of the ANC to replace Pule Mabe,” he tweeted.
Ntuli’s tweet has garnered more than 450 responses from sympathisers and well-wishers.
Veteran political analyst Lesiba Tefo, who sang Ntuli’s praises, added Ntuli should have been in the top 7 as he had a brilliant mind.
With KZN having lost both positions of ANC president and secretary-general, Teffo said he hopes Ramaphosa will keep Mdumiseni Ntuli close so that he succeeds to lead the party and possibly the country later. He described him as a man of sound mind and sharp intellect.
“You know there is a saying that a family at war with itself will never go far. This is true for KZN. Ntuli is a brilliant young man. He is intellectually sound.
I have met him, by the way, and he is intellectually articulate and intellectually superior to some of the people in the top seven. That fellow, for me, is good enough to be the secretary-general and even for the deputy president position, especially if you want to begin to build your succession plan for the future. That fellow should have been up there, and it is a pity that he is not there,” he said.
Image Jacob MAWELA (Throngs of delegates who attended the ANC 55 elective congress at Nasrec).
