President Cyril Ramaphosa Skips North West Elective Conference After Stolen Tags Create Security Breach

• President Cyril Ramaphosa was forced to skip the African National Congress’ North West elective conference when a group of ‘thugs’ created a security breach
• The registration point was stormed by a crowd of intoxicated individuals who had stolen accreditation tags that were later duplicated
• The conference has been adjourned and is expected to resume on 25 August when the president makes his closing address

RUSTENBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa could not close the ANC’s North West elective conference after a group of unruly “thugs” created a security breach.

The Daily Maverick reported that ANC’s head of organising, Nomvula Mokonyane, confirmed that a group of unruly, intoxicated and ill-disciplined individuals stormed the registration point at Olympia Park Stadium, manhandled and overpowered security personnel and stole accreditation tags, which were later cloned.

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Mokoyane said:

“Fortunately, there’s footage and we hope that as the organisation, we will be able to exercise discipline over and above laying criminal charges against those individuals.”

The ANC has opened a criminal case against the group of thugs who cloned the stolen tags and attempted to distribute the fraudulent accreditation. This act of civil disobedience follows the court judgment that stripped the Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) and the Interim Regional Committee of their voting power after an aggrieved member argued that the IPC structure had lapsed its term three years ago.

While Mokonyane claimed the ANC’s systems were watertight, which allowed them to detect duplicated accreditation tags, the head of the NEC, Obed Bapela, said the party would probe where the accreditation tags had been printed because it seems to be a trend for the ANC’s conferences to be hit by such incidents.

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Bapela indicated that President Ramaphosa was eager to attend the conference but was advised not to do so because of the security risk created by the incident.

The elective conference, meant to conclude with an address from Ramaphosa, has been adjourned until 25 August 2022, SABC News reported.

South African react to the incident on social media

KZN cabinet reshuffle: Sihle Zikalala appointed MEC less than a week after resigning

In other ANC-related news, Briefly News reported that less than a week after resigning as KwaZulu-Natal premier, Sihle Zikalala has been appointed as the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in the province. The KZN cabinet has been reshuffled following the induction of newly elected Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube.

Zikalala will take over the position from Sipho Hlomuka, who will join the transport portfolio. News24 reported Mbali Frazer would replace Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu, and Amanda Bani-Mapena will replace Hlengiwe Mavimbela in the province’s sports, arts and culture department.

Source: Briefly News