By Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge 21 February 2011
The MDC-T Johannesburg District Congress was on Sunday morning disrupted by youths reportedly linked to the dysfunctional Veterans Activists Association (VAA) group led by a self imposed leader Soromon ‘Sox’ Chikowero in Braamfontein.
It is understood that a handful group of drunk people who were bussed in from the Central Methodist Church to the Congress venue were given stolen party T-shirts and promised bear and food in return for their vote.
Some of them were heard complaining about hunger and non-receipt of the promised payments after the Congress was abandoned.
Upon arriving at the venue, the youths are reported to have disrupted the accreditation process as they insisted on being party of the voting delegates.
The veterans association is a group of disgruntled MDC-T party deserters who are now based in the country (Zimbabwe).
In a statement yesterday, the party’s secretary for information and publicity, Mr. Kumbirai Muchemwa confirmed the development saying then party was disappointed by such wayward behavior by the VAA.
He said, “The MDC Johannesburg District would like to register its is disappointment that people who are in a place of shelter from a brutal and uncaring regime are used by people who should know better to further their personal agendas of getting positions in the Party.
“Actually a handful group of drunk these people were bussed in from the Central Methodist Church to the Congress venue and they were given stolen party T-shirts and promised bear and food in return for their vote. Some of them were even complaining of hunger and non-receipt of the promised payments after the Congress was abandoned.
“When they arrived at the congress venue they wanted to force entry and to be added on the delegates list so that they would participate in the voting process. As a result the accreditation process was disrupted and eventually abandoned because of the disorderly conduct of these people.
“These people who insisted on being part of the voting delegates are not even party members and could not produce proof of membership to facilitate the accreditation process. On the same note they brought in teargas as a way of disrupting the planed congress.
“On seeing that they could not force these non-party members onto the lists of voters, the leaders of this group threatened violence and began to unleash a torrent of abuse at the Presiding Officers. With the safety of delegates in mind the Congress was forced to be postponed to another date yet to be announced”.
Efforts to get a comment from the purported VAA leader, Soromon ‘Sox’ Chikowero were fruitless.
The current Johannesburg district executive includes; chairman Remember Moyo, Vice Chair –Mrs. Thokozano Tshuma, Secretary- Mr. Milton Matshazi, vice secretary-Mncedisi Bhebhe, Treasurer-Mr. Gilbert Chamunorwa, Organising Secretary- Mr. Bongani Mathe, Information and publicity- Mr. Kumbirai Muchemwa and Youth Assembly Chairman Giyani Dube.
In fighting and mudslinging has become the order of the day for the MDC’s South African branch.
On 8 November 2009 party fired its South African interim provincial executive on allegations of misappropriation of funds and resources among other things and replaced it with a three member coordinating team.
Those who were recalled members were Austin Menzie Moyo, Rodgers
Mudarikwa, William Mabona, Sibaningi Dube, Phillimon Moyo and Amon Ndlovu and also directed to stop representing the party in any capacity but olive branches were extended to them so that they could attend the conference on the 28th of November, 2009 and remain party members.
The executive were replaced by, Mr. Judge Ncube, Team Overseer, Mr.
Farayi Goodmore Mudzembwe and Mr. Learnmore Kodzi were appointed to head the Secretariat and Information and publicity respectively.
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