MIDDELBURG, June 10 (ANA) – A male security guard was hit by a rock on the shoulder on Saturday afternoon during a scuffle that broke out when a group of men and women, believed to be disgruntled African National Congress members, tried to force their way into the venue of the ANC’s Nkangala regional conference in Mpumalanga.
The conference was held at the Zithabiseni Resort near Mathys Zyn Loop village to elect a new regional leadership.
ANC Nkangala region spokesman Sello Matshoga told the African News Agency (ANA) that chaos broke out when a group of ANC members were denied entry into the venue because they were carrying liquor.
He said the members came from an unnamed branch of the Steve Tshwete local municipality. The same members had had a dispute with the ANC over the nomination of delegates during the build-up to the conference.
“I was told the guard was hit by a rock, but we called the police and they are now in control of the situation. We do not allow liquor in this venue. These people had forwarded their dispute to the provincial leadership recently, but they did not win,” Matshoga said.
It was not immediately clear whether the guard was injured in the scuffle. When ANA arrived at the gate of the venue three police officers were standing near the entrance while a group of men and women were standing outside hurling insults at the ANC leadership.
A woman from the group moved around near the gate and shouted in isiZulu, repeatedly saying she wanted media photographers to photograph her because she was “tired of corruption”. A few male security guards were opening the gate for vehicles to drive into the premises.
Meanwhile, Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele was addressing the conference inside the venue. Cwele was the main speaker at the conference and represented the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC).
He urged ANC members and alliance partners to refrain from criticising one another in public and to work to build unity in the ANC. The ANC had no room for “lazy people” and those within the ANC who had grievances should present them at the party’s policy conference, expected to start at the end of this month, and at its national elective conference expected to be held in December.
“The ANC is not a party of lazy people. Lazy people always complain. Internal debates are very important because they allow different views. But before you criticise others, start by criticising yourself. We must respect you as leaders, but you must also respect those who elected you,” Cwele said.
The two-day conference was expected to conclude on Sunday.
– African News Agency (ANA)
