By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GalloImages.
The South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Saturday evening dismissed with costs an urgent application to interdict the Gauteng ANC’s 14th provincial conference.
This after Ekurhuleni delegate Jabulani Sithole lodged the application, arguing that the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) was wrong to give the green light, on Friday, for the Gauteng conference to go ahead while the dispute over the 19 quarantined votes.
The Gauteng High Court Judge Motsamai Makume struck the matter from the court roll after finding that it was not urgent, and Sithole had failed to convince court of his urgency of his application.
Sithole asked the court to interdict the conference because of the unresolved matter with the 19 quarantined votes from Ekurhuleni.
The ANC has welcomed the ruling, with spokesperson Pule Mabe saying the party knew the matter would fail because it lacked urgency.
The Gauteng ANC provincial conference has since adopted the credentials at 06:00.
Delegates were stagnant on concerns about the participation of branches primarily from the Ekurhuleni region. The issue of the 19 quarantined votes from the region saw fierce debates overnight.
The conference will now move to nominations of officials, three days after the official start of the conference.
A total of 1 133 delegates from various branches are expected to take part in the voting process, including 105 delegates from the provincial executive committee.
The battle lines have been drawn between the Lebogang Maile and Panyaza Lesufi, who are vying for the Chairpersonship position.
Maile, in his “Adiwele” slate, is running alongside Ekurhuleni regional secretary Thembinkosi Nciza and Mzi Khumalo, who was expected to vie for the deputy chairperson position.
Lesufi has a more diverse gender dynamic in his slate, with deputy provincial secretary Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko set to contest the deputy chairperson position.
Sedibeng regional chairperson Thulani Kunene is expected to vie for the provincial secretary position.
Outgoing secretary general Jacob Khawe, who does not belong to any of the popular slates, wants to keep his position, even though there is no word on whether branches support him.
Lesufi and Maile have considerable support in the five regions: Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, West Rand, Tshwane and Sedibeng.