The highly anticipated 9th African National Congress (ANC) Western Cape conference got off to a rocky start as delegates faced unexpected obstacles upon their arrival.
Not only were some delegates late, causing a delay in the opening proceedings, but they also discovered unwelcome guests occupying their reserved hotel rooms. This unfortunate turn of events has cast a shadow over the conference, which was meant to rejuvenate the ANC’s position in the province.
The conference, the first of its kind in eight years, was scheduled to commence once all 700 delegates had completed the registration process. However, by midday, only members of the media were present in the conference hall, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and frustration.
According to reports from TimesLIVE, the delegates finally arrived at the venue shortly before 9pm. They hurriedly had dinner before proceeding to the conference hall around 10pm, anticipating the official start of the program.
However, the opening ceremony was abruptly halted when Lerumo Kalako, the provincial convenor, revealed the accommodation debacle. It appeared that certain delegates’ hotel rooms had been occupied by individuals claiming to be ‘friends of delegates.’
The affected delegates, hailing from the Boland and Overberg regions, found themselves displaced due to the presence of these so-called friends. Kalako urged regional secretaries to join him in addressing the issue by escorting the unauthorised occupants out of the rooms and resolving the matter with hotel staff.
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However, some delegates responded smugly, flaunting their room keys and implying that they were unaffected by the accommodation mix-up.
In light of the delays caused by late arrivals and the unfortunate situation with the hotel rooms, Kalako made the decision to postpone the conference’s opening to the following morning. This unexpected turn of events further compounded the frustration and disappointment of delegates who had eagerly anticipated the conference.
The ANC in the Western Cape currently faces significant challenges. Provincial Parliament spokesperson Nobulumko Nkondlo recently acknowledged that the party’s position in the province is at its weakest in over a decade.
Weak structures, declining membership and the loss of activists and public servants disconnected from their communities have contributed to this decline.
The conference aims to identify new leadership for the ANC in the Western Cape. Several contenders have emerged for the position of provincial chairman, including Richard Dyantyi, chairperson of the Section 184 committee, Cameron Dugmore, ANC leader in the provincial legislature and Justin de Allende, a senior government official.
In addition to electing new leadership, the conference will also tackle pressing issues such as internal discord within the party and the influence of money on politics. These discussions will be crucial in rebuilding the ANC’s strength in the Western Cape and reconnecting with the communities it seeks to represent.
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Picture: Lubabalo Lesolle / Gallo Images
