Video of ANC North West dispute spotlights candidate-list tensions before local elections

According to The Citizen, a viral video has brought fresh attention to divisions inside the African National Congress in the North West as the party prepares for local government elections.

Video shows deputy provincial secretary confronting provincial secretary

The Citizen reports that ANC deputy provincial secretary Viola Motsumi is purportedly heard in the clip lashing out at provincial secretary Louis Diremelo. In the video, she accuses Diremelo of working against the provincial executive committee (PEC) and of wanting to see the PEC dissolved by the national ANC. The video clip is doing the rounds on social media, The Citizen says.

Dispute centres on candidate nomination process

The Citizen reports that the immediate cause of the latest tensions was Diremelo’s decision to order a re-run of the local council candidates’ nomination process in the Ruth Segomotsi Mompati (RSM) region. The Citizen says many branch general meetings in the region were allegedly not constitutionally convened.

The Citizen says the RSM regional conference election was nullified by Luthuli House in May after allegations of result rigging and unconstitutional processes. Concern about alleged imposition of candidates by some regional and provincial leaders leaving out branch-selected candidates is cited by The Citizen as a driver of infighting between grassroots members and provincial leadership.

Allegations reach other regions

According to The Citizen, similar complaints have emerged elsewhere in the province. The Bojanala regional ANC Youth League reportedly said youth candidates are being sidelined in councillor nominations by some branch leaders in the region.

The Citizen also reports that in the Moses Kotane subregion ANC branches have lodged a formal complaint with Kgalema Motlanthe’s election committee alleging manipulation. The branches accuse acting Bojanala regional secretary Thapelo Thoboke of abusing his office to secure his own inclusion on the party representation list and of allegedly manipulating nomination processes, sabotaging administration and coercing branches into endorsing his name, The Citizen says.

What The Citizen frames as the stakes

The Citizen frames the disputes as part of the process of formulating candidate lists to be submitted to the Electoral Commission of South Africa for the 4 November elections. The reported disagreements between branches and provincial officials have prompted calls for re-runs and formal complaints within ANC structures, The Citizen says.