MAKHANYA RE-ELECTED PUDEMO PRESIDENT

MBABANE – The People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) hosted a successful 10th General Congress where Mlungisi Makhanya retained his position as President.

The proscribed political party held its Congress at Driekopis in Mpumalanga, South Africa on Friday. The Congress will be concluded today where the new president will be addressing the over 300 delegates. Makhanya was contending for the position against one of PUDEMO’s founding members and veteran of the movement, Mandla Hlatshwayo.The Independent Elections Commission (IEC) led by Chief Electoral Officer Muzi Masuku led the election process which began over four months ago at the organisation’s branches. Masuku led what was hailed as a free and fair election process by delegates. Before announcing the results, Masuku urged the delegates to support the leadership they elected and not to leave them to fend on their own. He said every leader was supposed to lead people.

Decision

“The beauty about this election is that the branches are the ones making decisions on who should lead the organisation and the delegates here are only asserting a decision taken by the branches. My duty ends after I hand over the microphone to the next president and I am hoping I will not just hand over a microphone, but the entire membership of this massive organisation,” said Masuku. Makhanya thanked the IEC for conducting a free and fair election and specifically thank electoral officers for dedicating time to the work. He said the elections were a sneak preview to a democratic process that the organisation envisaged for the country.

Makhanya thanked all the nominees who participated in the elections. He said it was necessary for democracy to prevail in the process. “I want to thank all those who participated, especially our stalwart Mandla Hlatshwayo who launched such a robust campaign for the leadership of PUDEMO. The IEC dedicated it’s time to come and assist us in the process without any further expectation. We have set the bar and I want to inform you today that any party that shies away from an internal democratic electoral process will never make it in national elections,” said Makhanya. He will be deputised by former Secretary General Wandile Dludlu, while former National Organising Secretary Penuel Malinga will take Dludlu’s former position.

Velaphi Mamba was elected Treasurer General and will be deputised by Vamile Matsebula, while Maxwell Dlamini and Siboniso Mkhabela were elected first and second Deputy Secretary General respectively. Additional member elections were deferred to this morning.

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