The ANC has previously failed to elect a provincial executive committee in the Western Cape in 2019, following the chronic collapse of support in the Cape
According to leak from internal structures, ANC branches across the country are reportedly in disarray as the party prepares for the 2024 elections, with some provinces failing to nominate candidates for the Parliament list.
The ANC denounced the leaks, and claimed it was merely going through a more rigorous candidate selection process, and warned against “divisive” actions.
Despite ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula's recent assertion that the party is stronger, a Sunday Times report showed that more than a third of branches failed to choose candidates. KwaZulu-Natal ranks among the worst-performing provinces, with only 37% of branches participating in the nomination process for Parliament candidates.
The ANC in the Western Cape is set to hold its ninth elective provincial congress, against a trend of chronic decline, to the point of political irrelevance in the province. The party fell to 21% in the province in the local government elections in 2021, and has since struggled to obtain quorum for its internal election conferences.
The Western Cape ANC has been falling apart for years, and in 2019 was placed under an interim committee appointed by the NEC because no conference was held to elect a provincial executive committee (PEC). Because of the failure to elect a new PEC, it was disbanded and placed under the centrally appointed interim committee under Lerumo Kalako.
The conference, attended by 700 delegates, will elect a new top six over the weekend. Kalako, praised the efforts of the interim provincial committee in overcoming internal and external challenges, and blamed dysfunction on the Covid-19 pandemic, although other parties have not faced the same disarray.
Despite facing difficulties in the Dullah Omar and Southern Cape regions, active structures have been established, meeting the 70% requirement for the conference. Elections will be crucial, but emphasis is on enriching conference outcomes in content and form. One of the ANC's top seven national officials is expected to open and close the conference.
Designed in the Western Cape
