Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Queenin Masuabi
Published on 2024-02-29 22:17:00
The African National Congress (ANC) Electoral Committee has presented its preliminary lists for the party’s candidates in the upcoming elections to the ANC’s Top Seven. The committee, headed by former president Kgalema Motlanthe, conducted interviews with nominees, including party president Cyril Ramaphosa.
The ANC is tasked with nominating up to 200 candidates for Parliament, with each of the nine provincial legislature lists requiring a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 80 candidates. The party’s constitution guarantees Ramaphosa’s candidacy for the presidency of the country.
Reports suggest that the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) will hold an extended meeting starting on Monday to decide on the final candidate lists. Following this meeting, a list conference will be held to consolidate the party’s list of candidates, with the involvement of NEC members and alliance partners such as the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the SA Communist Party.
One major issue looming over the selection process is the inclusion of State Capture accused individuals. The ANC Veterans’ League has proposed excluding those implicated in Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s State Capture report from the parliamentary lists for the 2024 election. This condition was put forward by veteran Mavuso Msimang, who had previously resigned from the party but later rescinded his resignation due to this issue.
Prominent ANC members implicated in the State Capture report include Gwede Mantashe, Nomvula Mokonyane, Malusi Gigaba, Zizi Kodwa, Vincent Smith, and others. The party has referred those accused of wrongdoing to its integrity committee for further investigation.
The electoral committee has established rules and guidelines for candidates seeking to become Members of Parliament (MPs) and provincial Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs). Candidates must meet certain criteria, such as having no criminal record unless related to pre-1994 political crimes, and not being guilty of contravening the ANC Code of Conduct within the last 10 years.
As the ANC navigates through the process of selecting candidates for the upcoming elections, the issue of State Capture accused individuals remains a contentious topic. The party’s NEC will play a crucial role in determining the final lists of candidates, with input from various stakeholders. It is evident that the ANC is facing challenges in balancing the need for clean governance with the inclusion of all relevant party members in its candidate lists.
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