STAKES ARE HIGH AT E.C. ANC PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE
African National Congress conference delegates in the province of the Eastern Cape are still continuing their engagement in a psychological warfare as they are getting ready to begin their provincial conference this week end.
The two groupings who would like to see Oscar Lubabalo Mabuyane or Babalo Madikizela officially closing the conference on Sunday are using Social Media platforms to show the numbers that they have to win the conference.
Earlier this year Alfred Nzo Region took the lead in using Facebook showing packed venues that according to them are support of the former provincial Treasure Babalo Madikizela. They even termed themselves as “Into yesinintsi” behind uMaliya.
Few weeks to the conference we began to see on facebook delegates that support former chairperson and current Premier Oscar Mabuyane coined “Uyabuya”
Days before the postponement of the conference delegates that call for “Makabuye” were seen at one of the East London stadiums doing head count. One could see the confidence through struggle songs that they were singing on that day, that they have won the conference.
Last week end deputy Speaker Mlibo Qhoboshiyane appeared in a provincial newspaper raising his hand, saying he is ready to lead. He was also seen on facebook posting old pictures of him being the MEC for Agriculture.
One delegate said, facebook videos work as psychological strategy to convince the other side to see the majority, so if you are not sure with your grouping just cross over to the majority, but the real test is during the casting of the vote.
On Friday its now or never. Registration for the delegates has begun, which means on Sunday we will have a new provincial leadership. The stakes in this election could indeed be much higher than they currently appear on social media, said one political analyst.
It looks entirely possible that over the next few years the Eastern Cape will again become the most important province within the ANC structures. That could elevate the leadership election, between Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Babalo Madikizela, into one of huge impact on the party over the longer term.
Although what we saw on social media towards the conference, raised some emotions even to non delegates but the question still stands are ordinary people have a reason to rejoice after the conference.
Political analyst Ongama Mtimka said it is a common thing for delegates of the ANC to only focus on individuals who are being elected than Corruption ,Crime and Poverty that is embedded to the majority of the citizens.
