Scores of disgruntled African National Congress (ANC) supporters from the Francis Baard region in Kimberley, protested in Pretoria on Friday in connection with the party’s candidates list for the forthcoming local government elections.

“We are here to come and raise our frustration and dissatisfaction to our leaders in the NEC [national executive committee] and particularly to the lists committee of the ANC,” said Kagisho Mokubung, who was leading the protest.

The protest coincided with the ANC’s national list conference in Pretoria, a run-up to the national executive meeting scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

“We are unhappy because of the manipulation which took place in [the] Francis Baard region particularly,” he said.

Mokubung said that initially, there had been candidates who were chosen by the branches.

“Suddenly, we went to our list conference and there were new names. The names had been changed,” he said.

According to Mokubung, the changes were allegedly the work of the region’s chairperson Thapelo Dithebe and its secretary.

Mokubung said none of the top ANC officials deliberating over the candidates lists at The Saint George Hotel in Pretoria had come out to address them. However, he said that they would remain loyal to the ruling party.

“We do have trust [in] our leaders here and they know we love the ANC,” he said.

“We will never sabotage the ANC. We will continue voting for the ANC.”