By Umamah Bakharia 

A Nelson Mandela Bay councillor and his assistant died in a hail of bullets this week, days ahead of the much-anticipated ANC Eastern Cape elective conference that is planned for this weekend.

There have been a number of murders of ANC members across the country as provinces held tense leadership elections in anticipation of the party’s national elective conference at the end of the year.

ANC Eastern Cape provincial task team leaders met with party officials at the scheduled congress.

Speaking to Radio Islam, political analyst Roland Hanwood says political killings are threatening the future of democratic governance.

“It’s an approach that favours [the] very specific self-interest of individuals where nothing stops people from eliminating oppositions to get into power,” says Hanwood.

He emphasises that getting into power in this context- is not getting into power to govern but rather to get government resources.

The ANC Eastern Cape provincial task team leaders have requested a meeting with ANC treasurer Paul Mashatile to discuss issues related.

Responding to the request made, Hanwood says this could be an indication that there is an issue within the ANC provincial government.

“The problems that exist are related broadly to issues [such as] the position of people involved in the conference who face criminal charges or have been accused of serious transgression,” says Hanwood.

He warns that structural and organisational issues within the ANC could hinder the elective conference.

“If some leaders are prevented from participating, it implies that their electives list will be weakened or may even be excluded from the province elective conference – which means they are losing out,” says Hanwood.

This could mean that the ANC lose out on the national leadership election which determines who will be the next president.