Is the ANC in Free State in ICU under the IPC?

 
Members of the African National Congress (ANC) in Free State Province have raised serious concerns about the state of the party in the province a year since the installation of the Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) calling it “worse than Apartheid and Magashule regime combined” going further to ask if it’s in ICU.
 
This is as the IPC installed last year on the 27 May by former president Kgalema Motlanthe marks a full year with little to nothing to show off.
 
The IPC replaced the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) following the Supreme Court of Appeal judgment that set aside and declared the 2017 ANC Provincial Conference and its decisions
 
The application was brought by Matshepo Ramakatsa, Themba Mvandaba, and Shasha Motaung after a marathon legal race that dates back to 2017.
 
The judgment handed on the 31st March 2021 read:
 
“It is declared that the Provincial Conference for the Free State Province that took place on 18 and 19 May 2018 was held in violation of the Court order of 29 November 2017 under case number 5942/2017 and that the said Provincial Conference, its decisions/resolutions and/or outcome are unlawful and unconstitutional.”
 
 
What is of importance in this judgment is what gave credence appellants’ case was in ward 19 in the Thabo Mofutsanyana region, a complaint was raised that unknown persons had signed next to the names of certain members on the attendance register.
 
When this was brought to the attention of the deployee, complaining members were accused of being disruptive. The ANC in its answering affidavit did not deny this irregularity.
 
Why do we mention this you ask?
Currently, 90% of branches in Free State province are not in good standing as per a report by Nomvula Mokonyane and the conference is later this year, you do the maths. The Free State ANC might not vote in the national conference for the 3rd time in a row.

They did not vote in the Mangaung 2012 and Nasrec 2017. 
 
The then ANC Provincial Secretary of the Free State ANC, Paseka Nompondo indicated they will appeal only for the National Executive Committee and National Working Committee to task former president Kgalema Motlhanthe to unite the province and the IPC was formed by members of both factions.
 
The expectation was the IPC will unite the province under “Unity and Renewal” but it turned out to be a Dukwana project.
 
What has been achieved in terms of unity? 

• Only Dukwana has been absorbed into the legislature and provincial executive,
• Lihelele Motsoeneng who worked with Dukwana received deployment, including the deputy coordinator who still commutes between Bloemfontein and Pretoria 
• None of the groups that worked with Dukwana in the PCC has been appointed Mayor or Speaker in any municipality,
   
  A source in the IPC who spoke on condition of anonymity said Dukwana was told how useless he is in his face in a meeting on Monday.
   
   “In the IPWC on Monday he was told how useless he is in his face, his shenanigans were laid bare including the matters of two Mayors (Dimakatso Modise and Kenaleng Phukuntsi) where state resources are being abused.” 
   
  Another source Dukwana lost favor in national as well and he is dividing the province.
   
  “He is on his own, he is even losing favor in national. He was trying to get some Ramaphosa lobbyists at national to convince Thabo Manyoni not to contest and they told him to get lost.
   
  Dukwana is further dividing the ANC in the province by having parallel meetings as Southern Sun with his faction.” 
   
  Dukwana was appointed MEC for both COGTA and Human Settlement and the least said about the municipalities in the province the better.
   
  It is alleged that he does not want Motsoeneng to be appointed as Chief Director; of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Department of Human Settlements and he sidelined some of his staunch supporters from his region, Rasebuti Mekoa, Shima Mahlatsi, Pule Maile, and Pheelo Notsi. 
   
  It’s also alleged that he mistreats the younger female IPC members, Kenalemang Mohale, Kelebogile Wesi, and Malebasa Masoeu. 

Was the whole unity process all about Dukwana, or was it about the ANC? 

It looks like the six-point plan that was a foundation of the IPC went straight where Better Life For All, Through The Eye of The Needle, and others went. In the dust bin.

Among the few things the IPC did in 365 days were to bring former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlhanthe and president Ramaphosa to pothole-riddled Mangaung. 

Mxolisi Dukwana, IPC convenor could not be reached for comment while Oupa Khoabane said.

“The process of preparing the branches to be in good standing is the beginning of preparing for the Provincial Conference which will have minimal negative issues that may subject the conference to unnecessary litigations.

The IPC was able to lead elections campaign and ensure that communities choose the ANC candidates as much as possible. The Regional structures were restructured to enable participation of everyone in the activities of ANC. At the moment the program of renewal is underway and efforts to unite members are taken seriously.”

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