Durban - The fallout over the ANC’s list of candidates to Parliament and provincial legislatures continued on Monday.
The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) alleged that there were attempts to prevent its president, Mathabo Leeto, from joining Parliament after the May 8 elections.
Sanco secretary-general Richard Mkhungo said his organisation suspected his ANC counterpart, Ace Magashule, of moving Leeto from the middle of the ruling party’s election list to the bottom.
Mkhungo said Leeto was initially number 86 on the ANC list, but she appeared as number 140 on the list that was submitted to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).
He said the organisation feared that Leeto’s appearance at the bottom of the list might prevent her from becoming an MP if the ANC’s support dropped during the elections.
He said the ANC had placed certain Sanco members at the top of the list without consulting the civic organisation’s leadership. “Like comrade Zet Luzipho, who was not put by Sanco on the list,” said Mkhungo.
However, he insisted that Leeto’s demotion was based on historical
personal differences and believed that it had nothing to do with ANC
structures.
Mkhungo alleged that Sanco’s first deputy secretary-general, Robby Tsikwe, was removed from the national list with a promise of placing him on the Northern Cape provincial list.
“But he is not on the list that was submitted to the IEC. The ANC list in KZN had no one that was recommended by Sanco,” said Mkhungo.
Leeto was elected in March to replace Richard Mdakane as Sanco president. Mkhungo said former Sanco general-secretary Skhumbuzo Mpanza and Mdakane were the only people who were recommended by Sanco who were still on the list.
“Even Mdakane is now far down the list, as he was initially number 69, but he is 150-something (he is actually number 144).
Mkhungo, who is the former KZN secretary, and Tsikwe were elected to their new positions at the same event.
He declined to name leaders who were recommended by Sanco to be on the KZN provincial list.
He said he had held discussions with Magashule about the nomination of Sanco leaders to the ANC list.
“We were told that the ANC would look at what process was followed to include Sanco leaders on the list,” said Mkhungo.
Mbali Hlophe from Magashule’s office denied that the ANC leader had reshuffled the list. “There is a national list committee which dealt with the list, assisted by the ANC NEC (national executive committee).
“There was also an extended meeting of the NEC, where provinces were involved. They cannot say that (Magashule) was the one who removed people because he cannot do that.”