Mahikeng- Thirty members have been elected through a fair electoral process, with members in agreement as to the measures that were used to reach to the final number. As with many processes that have to be done democratically there were some issues that were raised and members then required clarity in order to agree on matters at hand.

“There were some deliberations here and there, where clarity was needed once a cadre suggested that members who weren’t present at the conference and hadn’t followed through with letters of acceptance or declining nominations hadn’t been received. The outcome though, was satisfactory and abided with democratic processes all thanks to the members and the electoral agency deployed for the procedure needed” ANC spokesperson Oupa Matla said.

The election of additional thirty members is a combination of broad demographic representation of all the four regions of the province. This echoed the honest advice that the National chairperson, Baleka Mbete had shared earlier, that ‘factionalism is a disease that affects all levels within the ANC and needs to be dealt with vigorously’.

Spirits weren’t dampened by any of the deliberations and kept singing and chanting before breaking away for some of the core business of the conference, that being the different commissions whereby members could decide on a way forward and how delegates need to give feedback to their various branches.

The commissions in questions included: Peace and stability, robust conversations on economic transformation, social transformation and political education to name a few.

“As the conference draws to a close and load shedding threatened to slow things down, ironically   when there had been a presentation during the day from a representative from ESKOM. Members were not deterred and instead kept their spirits high reminding themselves of the core business for attendance” Matla said.

The list of the thirty PEC additional members:

1. Manketse Tlhape
2. Tebogo Modise
3. Matthews Wolmarans
4. Mokati Thebe
5. Bareyi Sekgotho
6. Asnath Molekwa
7. Solly Malete
8. Rose Diphoko
9. Abram Mudau
10. Mike Khauoe
11. Wendy Nelson
12. Hoffman Galeng
13. Saliva Molapisi
14. Kim Medupi
15. Ontlametse Mochware
16. Dostine Mothibe
17. Penny Gaolaolwe
18. Priscilla Mlambo-Kwenaite
19. Noni Kgabi
20. Bridgette Seokamo
21. Boitumelo Mahlangu
22. Gerald Modise
23. Kagiso Palagangwe
24. Donald Mosikare
25. Thabo Mokwena
26. Lerato Teme
27. Mmama Modisane
28. Keneetswe Mosenogi
29. Aaron Motshwana
30. Mmamogale More

HAMILTON – David Miller and JP Duminy both scored centuries as South Africa overcame a real challenge from Zimbabwe to record a 62-run victory in their opening World Cup Pool B game in Hamilton on Sunday.

Miller (138 not out) and Duminy (115 not out) rescued the Proteas’ innings after they had been in trouble at 83 for four, as they put on a world record fifth-wicket stand of 256 to guide their side to 339 for four.

Elton Chigumbura’s side, however, also showed that they would be a dangerous opponent for many sides with opener Chamu Chibhabha (64), Hamilton Masakadza (80) and Brendan Taylor (40) showing they were all highly competent international batsmen.

For more http://www.enca.com

JOHANNESBURG – An open letter addressed to former EFF MP Andile Mngxitama has accused him of stealing confidential party information and feeding it to the media.

The letter, simply titled ‘Dear Comrade Andile”, bears the signature of the Economic Freedom Fighters Accountant, Rirhandzu Baloyi.

In it, he alleges that Mngxitama – who refused a leadership position at the party’s elective People’s Assembly last year as it went against his “revolutionary conscience” – himself has none.

For more http://www.enca.com

Johannesburg – Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was happy with preparations ahead of Lesotho’s elections scheduled for 28 February, his spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said on his return to South Africa on Saturday.

Ramaphosa was visiting in his capacity as SA Development Community-appointed facilitator after an attempted coup in August which led to prime minister Tom Thabane fleeing for South Africa.

Mamoepa said the latest visit included meetings with King Letsie III, representatives of the coalition government namely Thabane of the All Basuthu Convention (ABC), deputy prime minister Mothejoa Metsing of the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and minister of gender and youth, sports and recreation Thesele Maseribane of the Basutho Nationa Party .

Besides the coalition partners, he also met representatives of the non-governmental organisation sector, church leaders, and chiefs of security agencies the Lesotho Defence Force and the Lesotho Mounted Police Service.

Earlier in February President Jacob Zuma hosted a delegation from the coalition government led by Thabane, in Zuma’s capacity as chair of the SADC troika organ on politics, defence and security co-operation.

Mamoepa said during that meeting the delegation had raised corners over security, the violation of the Maseru facilitation and security accords, and had discussed a request for SADC to help deliver a credible election.

The election will be taking place two years sooner than originally expected, as agreed in the accords.

“Following his interaction wtih roleplayers in Lesotho on Friday and Saturday, the deputy president expressed satisfaction with preparations for the forthcoming “brought forward” elections,” said Mamoepa.

“He drew inspiration from the great optimism seen by the ordinary people of Lesotho who remain determined to express their will through democratic elections later this month,” he continued.

“Furthermore, he expressed the confidence that the security challenges facing lesotho will continue to receive the attention of SADC.”

Oberserver mission

Ramaphosa also announced that a SADC oberserver mission would be deployed on Tuesday 18 February in Maseru to monitor the elections.

This follows the recent deployment of the SADC electoral advisory council which visited lesotho to assess the readiness for elections.

The SADC troika of heads of state and government meeting will be held later this month.

According to an Institute of Security Studies research paper, the elections might be a “quick fix” attempt at resolving the conflict.

Researchers said the main causes of the tensions in Lesotho, which is completely surrounded by South Africa, “are its governance structures”.

“A coalition government has ruled since May 2012, consisting of the three dominant parties: the Basotho National Party (BNP), Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and All Basotho Convention (ABC).

“Previous attempts to resolve tensions have been superficial. The parties clashed over the appropriate distribution of resources within the coalition government. This division became increasingly visible at the beginning of September last year between the parties of Thabane (ABC) who is allegedly supported by the police, and Metsing (LCD), who is said to have the loyalty of the military forces”.

A report on the Lesotho Times website said that the parties have rejected a proposal by the Independent Electoral Commission to have voter-validation machines at polling stations.

Parties interviewed said the machines had not been tested properly for such a crucial election.

Johannesburg – ANC chairperson and National Assembly speaker Baleke Mbete has warned that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) may move to provincial legislatures and municipalities next, the Mail&Guardian online reported on Saturday.

Addressing the party in the North West’s eighth provincial congress in her capacity as one of the African National Congress’s top six officials, she said: “Don’t ever think what’s happening in Parliament has got nothing to do with you in branches.

“Those thugs there are going to come to provinces to run a similar campaign, not only in legislatures but also in municipalities.

“You must teach our children not to be misled by those wearing red overalls. Those people (EFF) are not working with people of this country alone, they are pawns in a bigger scheme of things where some western governments are involved”.

She said the EFF wanted to “collapse Parliament” and force an early election.

“They want to take this country so that they must take over the mines and share them with friends they were seen gallivanting with in Europe,” she was quoted as saying.

She encouraged ANC deployees to work hard saying reportedly: “If we don’t work we will continue to have cockroaches like Malema roaming all over the place”.

Cape Town – Thursday’s ejection of Economic Freedom Front (EFF) members from Parliament, during President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address, was a meticulously rehearsed security operation by the police and parliament’s security staff, reports the Sunday Times.

According to the newspaper, details have emerged of how a simulation of the swift and violent ejection by EFF members was conducted on three occasions last week.

For more http://www.news24.com

Cape Town – The Daily Maverick has revealed who the enforcers were during the State of the Nation Address.

A Public Order Police officer, who appears to have played a leading role in forcibly removing Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema and other EFF MPs from the State of the Nation Address this week, has boasted on Facebook of a “hunt for Juju” in the “once hallowed halls of Parliament”. 

For more http://www.news24.com