Cape Town - The ANC in the Western Cape is working around the clock to hold two remaining regional conferences, after which it may finalise the date of the elective provincial conference.
Provincial spokesperson Sifiso Mtsweni said they had held four regional conferences, but the Dullah Omar and Southern Cape regions’ elective conferences were still outstanding.
He said after the two regions hold their conferences, the ANC in the Western Cape will then hold its provincial conference.
Asked whether he was aware of the speculation about the date being in January, Mtsweni said: “No, we are not aware. What we are aware of is that national will give guidance after the adjournment of the continuation of the conference. However, we have made substantial progress and we want to conclude that work.”
Mtsweni said the IPC (interim provincial committee) met on Tuesday and had also met just before the national conference on December 16.
He said the Dullah Omar region needed eight branches to hold their conference, while the Southern Cape needed 13. “We are confident this will be done over the next few weeks.”
In late November, the Cape Argus broke the news the ANC’s provincial conference could be held early next year, with IPC member Andile Lili saying that IPC members were divided over the date.
The unspoken rule in the ANC is that all regional and provincial structures hold their conferences before the national elective conference.
Newly-elected ANC National Executive Committee member Ronalda Nalumango, said national leaders had recently told the province that it must go to conference “as soon as possible”.
She said the organising committee was preparing a “road map” for the provincial structure.
A well-placed source in the ANC said that there had been chatter among “slates” to caucus during the party’s January 8 statement event in Bloemfontein.
He said the discussions would be around the planning, the date of conference and who must lead the province.
“The real slates will be known after January 8. For now, we have speculation and different slates are meeting and chatting by phone. People are busy positioning themselves,” the source said.