By Siyabonga Mkhwanazi and Gaye Davis
Limpopo Premier Sello Moloto has resigned his position and his membership of the provincial legislature in a move that has taken the ANC by surprise, forcing it into a desperate scramble to arrange for a replacement to be sworn in as soon as possible.
Moloto told the Cape Argus today that he remained a member of the ANC and would continue to serve as premier until a new one was elected. He flatly refused to end weeks of speculation and confirm outright that he had joined COPE - in spite of the fact that COPE's elections chief, Mlungisi Hlongwane, said on Monday that Moloto had accepted the party's nomination as COPE's premier candidate for the province he's been running since 2004.
"If I confirm that, it will mean that COPE has a premier in South Africa. COPE has never contested any (national or provincial) elections," Moloto said.
News of his resignation drew a sharp response from ANC spokesperson Jessie Duarte today: "The constitution is very clear. Once a person has resigned as a member of the provincial legislature they no longer represent any political party," she said.
"There will have to be a new premier sworn in as a matter of urgency."
In terms of the constitution, the Limpopo legislature will have to reconvene and vote in a new premier from among its members within 30 days, on a date to be determined by the Chief Justice and with the procedure presided over by a judge. The same process was followed in Gauteng late last year when Mbhazima Shilowa stepped down as premier and resigned from the ANC to become COPE's volunteer-in-chief.
Duarte said it was likely that the ANC's National Working Committee (NWC) would meet "to guide the province in its decisions".
Limpopo ANC chairman and provincial transport MEC Cassel Mathale said the party's Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) would today hold an emergency meeting to pick Moloto's successor.
He said the PEC would then recommend the preferred successor to Luthuli House.
Mathale confirmed that Moloto would stay in the position until a replacement has been sworn in. "His letter says that his resignation comes into effect when a new premier is sworn in," he said.
Mathale has been tipped as the man who will step into Moloto's shoes ever since ousting Moloto at the ANC's provincial conference last year. His supporters put pressure on Moloto to include him in his provincial executive.
Mathale was appointed transport MEC in January, after Justice Piitso was sent to Cuba as an ambassador in a move seen as a bid to stop him joining COPE.
Meanwhile, COPE's elections manager, Mlungisi Hlongwane, yesterday confirmed that former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka was on COPE's list of candidates for the national assembly.
All parties that submitted candidates' lists to the Independent Electoral Commission had to present
acceptance forms signed by each candidate.