Thousands Attend ANC-Breakaway Convention

Some 6,400 former-ANC members met over the weekend in Johanesburg, South Africa, to plan out their new political party that looks to wrestle one-party rule from the African National Conference.

Mbhazima Shilowa, former premier of Gauteng Province and one of the leaders of the breakaway movement, said the party will be officially established on Dec. 16 in Bloemfontein, where the ANC was formed in 1912. Names for the new political party include the Shikota Express and the South African National Congress. The ANC has taken the new party to court over the later name. An official name will be settled on in the next few days.

A major aim of the party will be a sweeping change to the country’s electoral system, aimed at keeping “democracy” and the country’s constitutional values “safe for all citizens”. This includes moving the system to one where the president of the republic is elected directly by the people – and not nominated by the ruling party, as it currently is.

Phillip Dexter, a member of the convention’s steering committee, said the event was about forming a coalition of smaller opposition parties who feel the ANC is threatening the spirit of the pre-1994 Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa). Patricia De Lille, leader of the Independent Democrats, said, “The once proud liberation movement has lost its way.” Helen Zille, leader of the largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, signaled a willingness to work in a coalition with the new ANC-breakaway party.

The breakaway party started after the ANC forcibly removed president Thabo Mbeki from power during an exhausting power play between he and ANC leader Jacob Zuma. Thousands at the weekend convention sang songs in praise of Mbeki, and Shilowa said the group “revered” the former president.

At the final convention address, Shilowa said the new party has every intention of win next year’s elections. “We can’t be underground in a democratic South Africa,” he told cheering supporters.

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