Pretoria - Two of the ANC’s biggest regions in Gauteng, Joburg and Ekurhuleni, tied neck-and-neck in the top five provincial executive representation while Tshwane became the biggest loser of the three major regions.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura, elected unopposed as provincial chairperson, and former Joburg mayor Parks Tau, elected provincial treasurer, hail from Joburg while Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi and Gauteng legislature chair of chairs Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko are from Ekurhuleni.
Lesufi was elected as deputy chairperson and Nkomo-Ralehoko as the party’s deputy secretary.
However, it was the embattled mayor of Emfuleni local municipality Jacob Khawe who stole the show at the conference.
His region of Sedibeng in Vaal had 142 delegates, the lowest of the five regions, but he managed to clinch support from all the big three regions to be catapulted to the most senior position in the provincial ANC to replace Hope Papo as provincial secretary.
Khawe thumped his
rival Boycie Maneli of the West Rand by more than 180 votes.
On Saturday, various senior provincial leaders admitted their branches had during their nominations chosen Khawe as their candidate to replace Papo.
“Most of our branches in Joburg chose Jacob Khawe. We had to respect their decisions,” one of the Joburg’s regional executive members said.
Gauteng ANC spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said the new executive would only be able to give interviews on Sunday.
Modiba said the executive were preparing for the election of the 30 additional provincial executive members to be announced on Sunday.
However, the big surprise was the performance of the ANC Tshwane region. It was the first time in eight years for the ANC Tshwane, the third biggest region in Gauteng, not to secure a single seat in the provincial top five.
In the past, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, who hails from Pretoria, had been part of the ANC top five until her election to the party’s highest-decision making body during its elective conference in December last year.
Ramokgopa had previously served as ANC deputy chairperson and recently deputy secretary.
The exclusion of Tshwane unfolded when Makhura was elected unopposed as provincial chairperson while Panyaza Lesufi beat Economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile by a margin of 22 votes to deputise Makhura.
Lesufi obtained 623 votes while Maile got 601.
Insiders said the tables apparently turned against Maile during the last-minute lobbying in the early hours of on Saturday.
According to insiders, Maile allegedly lost the race after he refused to include former Tshwane regional chairperson Mapiti Matsena in his slate.
One of the insiders
said: “Maile’s slate approached the Tshwane delegation for support. We asked them to include the name of Comrade Matsena but they refused".