Cape Town - President Cyril Ramaphosa defeated NEC member Dr Zweli Mkhize to retain the presidency, and cement his slate in the Top 7 structure at the ANC’s national elective conference on Monday.
Out of a total of 4426 voting delegates, Ramaphosa garnered 2 436 votes to Mkhize’s 1 897 in a contest that had four spoiled votes and seven abstentions.
In the recent nominations process, Ramaphosa tallied 2 037 nominations in contrast to Mkhize’s 916. Mkhize’s upsurge wasn’t enough to upset Ramaphosa.
Paul Mashatile is the new deputy president after accumulating 2 178 votes compared to Justice Minister Ronald Lamola’s 315 and Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane’s 1 858.
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, who is deemed to be an enforcer for Ramaphosa, retained his chairperson position with 2 062 votes, pipping Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha’s 2018 votes.
The chairperson announcement provided a comical moment with Mantashe and his camp unsure whether he had won as ANC elections committee head Kgalema Motlanthe’s announcement was inaudible amid the noise.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, another Ramaphosa ally, received 1 692 votes, narrowly beating Public Enterprises Deputy Minister Phumulo Masualle (1 590) and Mdumiseni Ntuli (1 080).
NEC member and former Cabinet Minister Nomvula Mokonyane (2 195 votes) pipped Ramaphosa ally police committee chairperson Tina JoematPettersson (2 145 votes).
The conference changed the make-up of the Top Six structure and added one more member.
Ramaphosa’s close ally and his adviser on international relations, Maropene Ramakgopa, received 2 373 votes to beat Stellenbosch councillor Ronalda Nalumango (1 948 votes).
ANC NEC member Gwen Ramakgopa, who is close to Ramaphosa, beat three powerful ANC men, Ramaphosa’s political adviser Bejani Chauke, party spokesperson Pule Mabe and former Ekurhuleni mayor Mzawandile Masina for the treasurer-general position.
Economist Dr Azar Jammine noted the rand firming by 2% against the US dollar as a sign that investors were comfortable with the ANC’s choice for president, and that he would be able to continue with his structural reforms and fixing state-owned entities.
He said that the rand had recovered the ground it lost on Friday when indications were that Mkhize was gaining traction.
Dr Jammine said: “(The elective process) was a closer call than what people would have wanted.”
He said Mashatile clinching the deputy presidency allayed fears over former deputy president David Mabuza taking over as president.
Political analyst Morena Motaung said the branches had spoken and that Ramaphosa’s re-election allows him to finish his plans that are in place.
Political analyst Lukhanyo Vangqa said at least five of the seven elected officials were known Ramaphosa backers, giving him “latitude” which will depend on whether he has the “stomach for conflict” in the fights in the National Executive Committee.
“Sanity prevailed on the issue of women,” Vangqa said, noting that three women were elected.
The ANC has historically had only one woman during each term on the most powerful structure and they include the late Jessie Duarte, Cheryl Caroulus, Thenjiwe Mtintso and Sankie Mthembu-Mahanyane.
Duarte, Baleka Mbethe and Thandi Modise are the only women who have served with another woman on the Top Six at once.
“It’s going to be very important to see how the losers are going to react, but if you look at the candidates that have won, the majority is closer to Ramaphosa than to Zweli Mkhize and that’s a stabilising factor in the ANC and is constructive,” political analyst Professor Andre Duvenage said.
Addressing the Limpopo provincial People’s Assembly, EFF leader Julius Malema said “whether he likes it or not, Ramaphosa will not finish his term”.
He said they would fight him in Parliament, where “he won’t get peace”.