Bomb scares, 'ghosts' at ANCYL conference

Bomb scares, 'ghosts' at ANCYL conference
EP provincial secretary in brawl
May 16, 2010 10:05 PM | By MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA and SIBONGILE MKANI-MPOLWENI

Chaos reigned at the ANC Youth League provincial congress yesterday afternoon when delegates had to be evacuated from the International Convention Centre on East London's beach front after two bomb scares were reported.

The evacuation took place on the third day of the conference while verification of delegates was under way following claims of "ghost" delegates.

The conference, which pitted supporters of president Julius Malema and his deputy Andile Lungisa against one another, was held to elect the league's provincial leadership.

Outgoing Eastern Province provincial secretary, Ayanda Matiti, a Malema supporter, and Mawanda Ndakisa, a Lungisa backer, are candidates for the position of provincial chairman.

East London police spokesperson Lieutenant-colonel Mtati Tana said an anonymous caller told the police bombs had been planted in the convention centre and at the nearby car park.

"The police's explosive's unit and the dog unit were dispatched to the venue," he said. "A thorough search was done and no bombs were found."

Matiti said the calls had been made by people who wanted to derail the conference.

Earlier, the boxing promoter was involved in a brawl with delegates outside the convention centre. Security guards had to come to his rescue as delegates from the rival camp tried to assault him.

The conference was also delayed due to problems relating to the registration of delegates and printing of accreditation cards on Friday.

Allegations of irregularities regarding the election of delegates to the conference from the youth league's Amathole, Nelson Mandela and OR Tambo branches further delayed matters.

Delivering his report, outgoing chairman Mlibo Qoboshiyana said some delegates had lost their voting status.

He said: "There are branches that have been audited, but they have disappeared from the list . We cannot pretend that there are no problems."

Delegates also claimed their accreditation cards, issued on the production of an ID, had been issued to other people.

Sivile Mabandla, a member of the youth league from Alice, found that his accreditation card had been issued to a woman from Hogsback.

More claims of irregularities were made in a session set aside for the consideration of a report about the election of delegates to conference.

It was also alleged that a regional secretary's car had been used to distribute accreditation cards to people who were not delegates.

The league's leadership in the province was forced to convene a series of emergency meetings to resolve the problems.

The province's youth league leaders met twice yesterday morning, but the claims of irregularities were not resolved to the satisfaction of all branches.

By late yesterday evening voting had still not taken place.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article452841.ece/Bomb-scares--ghosts-at-ANCYL-conference

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Lightscribe said:

malema's getting all the training he needs for the future, in rigging elections...

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lcbxx said:

"Eeehyao, dere ies ha bombe in dah buildingh, bastard!"

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