The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has given all its provinces until the end of October this year to convene elective conferences and elect formal structures.
At the same time, all regions have been given the end of September to do so.
This is as the fourth alliance partner of the ANC is racing against time to install proper structures and held the governing party campaign for the 2024 elections which are expected to be bitterly contested.
In a letter dated 18 July 2023 and sent to regions and provinces by Mike Soko, the interim general secretary, there are some issues with some provinces.
Despite that, he said those provinces that have been stabilised should start preparing to elect formal and full-time structures.
“Please be advised that the integration of all SANCO provincial structures is going very well and at an accelerated speed.
“We would like to appreciate the maximum cooperation we are getting from our structures.
“We are happy to report that we are only left with two provinces to complete the process above, i.e., North West and Northern Cape, to complete the process of integrating our provincial structures.
“The PICCs are expected to move with speed in ensuring that all our structures (regions, zones and branches), are integrated by not later than 31 August 2023,”’ he wrote in the letter seen by IOL.
NEWS: An interim regional structure of SANCO in the Garnet Mlethe (Umgungundlovu, KZN) region has been introduced as the civic movement continues to rebuild itself after years of factionalism. The regional convener of the new structure is Vusi Ntshangase, while Mervin Dicks pic.twitter.com/fVwP6n4RN8
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) July 20, 2023
He then said it is crucial that by the end of October this year, all electives conferences should have been concluded.
“All provinces are expected to convene their Provincial Conferences not later than the 31 October 2023 and regions their Regional Conferences by not later than the 30 September 2023,” he said
Soko also said they are pleased that the ANC recently endorsed their efforts to unite the once bitterly divided civic movement.
“We are pleased to inform you that SANCO has been reintegrated back to the ANC-led alliance activities.
“We warmly welcome and appreciate the decision by the ANC NEC to endorse the integration of both the Alexandra and Durban NECs and the establishment of the integrated NICC led by comrades Richard Hlophe and Mike Soko both as NICC President and as NICC General Secretary, respectively.”
Despite that, factionalism is refusing to completely go away as in KwaZulu-Natal there is another structure that has popped up and claimed to be the rightful interim provincial one.
Letterheads show that the structure is based in Empangeni on the north coast of the province.
There is another structure that attempted to register SANCO as a political party to contest the national elections next year.
Soko confirmed that they have given the deadlines and he said that is because they want to hold the movement's national conference in November. Thereafter they would start campaigning with the ANC "in defence of the national democratic revolution".
He said the structure based in KwaZulu-Natal is "bogus" and it was "launched by a fellow with two citizenships, a fellow that stays in South Africa for two months then goes to America for another six months".
He said the same grouping is behind the attempt to register Sanco as a political party to contest the elections next year.
IOL Politics