Vote-buying claims rock ANC conference

The infighting points to internal strife which could hurt the party in the region next year

- Lunga Mzangwe

The ANC Johannesburg regional conference has been marred by allega tions of bribery and votebuying by those seeking a mandate to lead the organisation for the next three years and points to internal ructions that could hurt the party in next year's local government elections.

According to senior party leaders in the regional executive committee (REC), some delegates were promised jobs - including employment for family members - should the slate they support emerge victorious at the 16th regional conference which started in northern Johannesburg on Wednesday and was set to close on Friday.

At the time of going to print, it was not yet clear who would emerge victorious as regional person between incumbent Dada Morero, the Johannesburg mayor, and his challenger, MMC for finance Loyiso Masuku, who is also the deputy regional secretary.

ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula instructed the Gauteng leadership to ensure that the conference start no later than 3 December, as the party's National General Council (NGC) is scheduled for later in the month.

Regional leaders had wanted the conference to run from Friday to Sunday, but Mbalula rejected that date. Some delegates at the conference had been paid to vote a certain way ahead of the conference, a regional executive committee member told the Mail & Guardian on Wednesday, adding that concerns about bribery had been raised within the party but ignored.

"There are people who were given brown envelopes containing power banks, an ANC hat, and R3 000 in cash. We can't go on like this as an organisation, where people use money to influence delegates so that they can take power," the source said.

"It's Christmas and people need the money but the problem is that the ANC gets to suffer by electing people that are not fit."