The Executive Mayor of JB Marks Local Municipality Gaba ka Qhele is the new ANC Chairperson of the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District after being elected at the party’s 9th conference to choose the top five members of the North West Regional Executive Committee in Wolmaranstad on Sunday.
Qhele said it was a joyous moment for him and the region because for quite some time they had interim structures which were a challenge for the organisation.
The last time the region had a REC elected was in 2013 due to many unsolved disputes among branches and throughout this period an interim structure managed its affairs.
Qhele said now that the region has a firm structure and hope to begin the process of renewal of the ANC in the region to ensure that they speed up their preparations for the upcoming provincial and national elections.
“For us as the ANC to take the path of renewal we understand the challenges that we are having internally as a movement and central to what we must do to make sure that the issues of cohesion, the issues of working together as members of the ANC in the rebuilding process of this movement are prioritised,” he said.
The conference which was scheduled to start on Friday, did not start well, much time was wasted when branches demanded that the steering committee elected by the Provincial Executive Committee must address their issues first, delaying the pre-registration and subsequent start of the conference.
It was only on Sunday that the 150 delegates gathered at Bona Bona Lodge outside Wolmaranstad for the conference.
Qhele said as part of the robust discussions, those that were not happy with the internal processes were asked to register them within the process of the conference and not resort to court action. And he promised that they will speedily engage with affected branches within the region.
“By Wednesday we will be meeting with some members of the ANC in Maqwassie Hills to start this process of renewal, to engage with them and then we can see how we strengthen the ANC in the region,” he said.
Qhele was up against an absent Zanele Mphafudi who also declined the nomination after he was called to confirm whether he was contesting, meaning all five REC members were unopposed.
Dr. Kenneth Kaunda’s regional convenor Sara Nkatlo will be Qhele’s deputy. Pat Mthoa is secretary and Wanda Moilwa is her deputy, with Happy Saudi serving as regional treasurer.
