Pretoria - Disgruntled ANC supporters in Tshwane vandalised the party's regional office in Arcadia on Tuesday, as they called for the removal of the party's leadership in the area.
A small group sang and danced in front of the office while others went inside and vandalised it. One protester, who asked not to be named, said they were members from Hammanskraal and Soshanguve.
"We have been sending queries to the office and they would promise to respond, but nothing materialises afterwards," he said.
The man said the biggest problems were factions within the organisation and certain leaders allowing only a selected number of their supporters to attend meetings.
"Sputla [ANC regional chairperson Kgosientso Ramokgopa] and George Matjila would call meetings with illegitimate members who are in their factions. The rest of us would be left out," he said.
Last week, a group of ANC Womens’ League members bared their backsides outside the ANC’s Tshwane offices. They were unhappy with the outcomes of a branch general meeting.
Another protester accused Matjila, the ANC’s deputy secretary general for Tshwane, of bringing bouncers to meetings to intimidate them. The man said the leaders were causing divisions within the organisation.
"We want unity. There must be regional leaders who care about the needs of the communities. We want this regional leadership disbanded and we go for new elections. Under Sputla's leadership the region is suffering," said the man.
The protesters claimed new branches were started in Hammanskraal in December, but their details did not appear on the regional databases.
ANC Tshwane spokesperson Teboho Joala condemned the vandalism and said they would investigate the membership statuses of those involved.
"This act is outside the behavioural pattern of any member of the ANC. A disciplined member of the ANC can't damage property, or burn the T-shirt, or undermine the ANC itself by tarnishing its regional office," he said.
Joala said there were processes for people to raise grievances and vandalism was not the solution.
"Only the conference that will be held in 2017 can replace the current leadership. It is quite regrettable that people can go to the extent of undermining the organisation they claim to be defending," Joala said.
ANC supporters vandalise regional office
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/anc-supporters-vandalise-regional-office-20160126?isapp=true
#StopWhiteGenocideInSA
