Mpumalanga Premier Ndaweni Mahlangu was at the weekend elected as the new African National Congress provincial chairperson, replacing former premier Mathews Phosa, ANC national spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said on Sunday.
Mahlangu, who was nominated by six of the seven regions, beat provincial legislature speaker William Lubisi by a narrow margin, while Dee Dee Mabuza was elected new deputy chairperson.
The conference was called on the recommendations of an internal party investigation into divisions within the ANC in Mpumalanga.
After the investigation it was recommended that former Premier Mathews Phosa and deputy chairperson, January Masilela, should not stand for any leadership position in the party in Mpumalanga.
Ngonyama said Mahlangu's election demonstrated the support and confidence he was enjoying among the province's people.
He said the delegates at the conference wished for the replacement of the entire old provincial executive, who they felt had failed to unite the province.
"But that could not be allowed as it would be against the provisions of our constitution," Ngonyama said. - Sapa