The newly-elected ANC Dullah Omar regional leadership last night said it wanted the party in the City of Cape Town to be a campaigning organisation and develop a concrete programme to reach out to coloured communities.
Addressing the media after the announcement of the top-five officials, regional chairperson Ndithini Tyhido said their commitment was to unite the ANC so that it could best serve the public.
“When we talk unity we mean acceptance that we must change. Part of our tasks is really to look what ANC branches exist for,” he aid.
Tyhido was elected as the new chairperson after securing 162 votes against Tshepo Moletsane, who obtained 125 votes.
Sonwabile Ngxiza was elected as the regional deputy after scoring 153 votes against Pat Lekker, who garnered only 134 votes.
Mvusi Mdala was announced as the secretary after obtaining 158 votes.
His contender Dee Badela managed to obtain 129 votes. The deputy secretary position was won by Maureldia Chouglay with 161 votes.
Her contender, Judy Anne Stevens, managed to get 126 votes.
Lynne Abrahams took the new regional treasurer after obtaining 153 votes. Her contender Anele Gabuza secured only 134 votes.
Tyhido also said the biggest elephant in Cape Town was “counter-revolutionaries”.
“This thing is downplayed. It is opening a number of other tones. Then you find racial undertones even among ANC members trying to use language that seeks to sow division than bring us together,” he said.
Tyhido took a swipe at the DA, saying it had to stop gambling with people’s lives on the Cape Flats and the townships.
“It samples and fused experiments and uses existing legislation. One such is that the DA keeping intelligence,” he said referring to the City’s alleged withholding information about crimes it gathered and demand devolution of powers.
Asked about coloured people’s vote, Tyhido said: “The ANC must find a way to stop talking about coloureds and Africans because our poverty is the same. Our socio-economic conditions are the same.”
Ngxiza said: “Our primary is to develop a concrete programme. We are hoping arising from this conference, we will have enough time to be inducted properly and develop a concrete programme to reach out to those specified communities.
“Ours is to build a non-racial society which is an antithesis the DA seeks to do ...”
Asked about the relationship regional leaders would maintain with provincial counterparts, Tyhido said the ANC was a unitary organisation with a clear demarcation of responsibilities. Tyhido, who is chairperson of Khayelitsha Development Forum, said he would consider stepping down from the forum.
“It would at the best interest of KDF that now that I am clad in a T-shirt of a political party, I may consider stepping down.
“The sooner I step down the better,” Tyhido said.
Cape Times