By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) has finally concluded and submitted its 2024 National and Provincial candidate list to the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).
ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said on Friday the party has submitted its list to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).
Bhengu-Motsiri said the ANC’s Electoral Committee had received more than 2,400 nominations and the list was whittled down to 284 names by the committee. These were the candidates that were interviewed by the Electoral Committee, chaired by former president Kgalema Motlanthe.
Bhengu-Motsiri said their list was balanced, with 52.5% of candidates being women and 17% being the youth.
However, she said the special National Executive Committee had gone through a rigorous process to select the candidates.
She said the Integrity Commission and the National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) of the ANC dealt with the cases of those who were implicated by the State Capture Commission.
“In terms of the names that were fingered, the Integrity Commission and the NDC cleared those comrades, you will find them in our list. They would have gone through a vetting process, which is done by the Electoral Committee. We will have the list by Monday.
“There are those that have been flagged by virtue of having been fingered in the State Capture Commission Report. They were subjected to the internal process of the ANC, going through that process up until a stage where there was an agreement that they are not eligible to stand as public representatives. I am giving you a sense that there is no such a thing as a blanket approach in the State Capture Report, because we have to test each case on its merit. The State Capture Report must be assisted by the ANC’s own internal democratic processes, “said Bhengu-Motsiri.
She said when the Integrity Commission received names of people implicated in the State Capture Commission, they were called to appear before the Integrity Commission.
This was the decision of the NEC that people implicated in the state capture report have to appear before the Integrity Commission.
Bhengu-Motsiri said the selection process and integrity commission’s work has helped them choose ethical and capable leaders.
She said the ANC’s members of parliament and provincial legislators are guided the party’s policies and commitment to unity and renewal, and they will shoulder the “vital responsibility of giving substance to our policy positions as well as their roles defined in the constitution”.
The candidates were also expected to be aligned to the party’s manifesto and national developmental objectives while championing public involvement and oversight.
Political parties contesting this year’s general elections in May, had until Friday at 5pm to submit the names of candidates who’ll represent them at national and provincial level.
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Video Courtesy of MYANC.