“It has become a new tendency in the organisation, and it is creeping in…and it is about to reduce the ANC to being run by the courts,” Ramaphosa said at the league’s national elective conference taking place in Midrand in Johannesburg.

“We cannot allow our organisation to be run by the courts…we are a democratic organisation regulated by our own constitution,” Ramaphosa said to loud a applause from delegates.

Ramaphosa was reacting to a court bid on Thursday by a disgruntled group from the North West.

Thabo Arafat Molamu and others approached the court, on the eve of the congress, to stop proceedings, alleging that there were irregularities in auditing of branches.

The group said they had exhausted all internal processes and had no choice but to go to court.

However, Judge Moses Mavundla ruled that the application was not urgent and dismissed it with costs.

Those within the ANC who rushed to the courts did not care about the party, said Ramaphosa.

“They do not love the ANC, they clearly love only themselves more than they love the organisation.”

The league’s convenor, Fikile Mbalula said the group would face a disciplinary hearing.

Meanwhile, the Gauteng provincial general council collapsed late Thursday night, but Mbalula said the conference would go ahead nonetheless.

”This means that the PGC could not conclude its business, the higher stage of conference is the national conference. It is important to understand that the national conference is a conference of branches, not PGCs,” he said.

”As long as delegates from branches are here, they will be able to chart way forward with the conference. PGCs are not a constitutional requirement.”

The run up to the presidential race for the league saw North West ANCYL chairman Collen Maine being nominated by most provinces. Former ANCYL treasurer Pule Mabe, Lesego Makhubela from the Tshwane region and former youth league deputy president Ronald Lamola are also presidential hopefuls.

At least 3,000 delegates were expected to fill up Gallagher Estate’s hall two, and would be joined by some members of the ANC national executive committee. KwaZulu-Natal has 800 delegates, surpassing all the other provinces in terms of numbers.

Representatives from international youth formations of SWAPO of Namibia, ZANU PF of Zimbabwe and MPLA of Angola were also expected to grace the conference.
 

ANA