Polokwane - Nominations for members of the provincial executive committee (PEC) got under way at the 10th Limpopo elective conference in the early hours of this morning.
The process kicked off at 3am following the adoption of credentials by delegates attending the conference held at the Ranch Resort outside Polokwane.
First to be given the nod for the chairperson position was Public Works and Infrastructure MEC Dickson Masemola. He will be facing incumbent party provincial chairperson Stan Mathabatha who was nominated second to loud cheers.
Battling it out for the position of deputy chairperson are incumbent and former Vhembe District mayor Florence Radzilani and Mopani District mayor Pule Shayi.
There were three nominations for the powerful position of provincial secretary, with Danny Msiza having been nominated by branches before the ANC national executive committee (NEC) barred members charged criminally from contesting for leadership positions.
However, Msiza declined nomination due to the party’s step aside rule that has kept him out of the game, leaving current secretary Soviet Lekganyane facing off with lesser known Reuben Madanzhe who accepted nomination.
Msiza has stepped aside from the party’s activities due to being charged by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for his alleged role in the looting of the now collapsed VBS mutual bank.
Incumbent deputy secretary and Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional affairs MEC, Basikopo Makamu will face -off with Liwhuwani Legaraba for the same position, while the treasurer position is being contested by Faith Chauke and Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana.
PEC spokesperson Donald Selamolela declined nomination, citing support for both the candidates.
Masemola, Shayi, Lekganyane, Legaraba and Chauke are in the same slate named “Focus” while Mathabatha, Radzilani, Madanzhe, Makamu and Sibanda-Kekane are in the slate called “Third Term”. It has been named after Mathabatha’s third term ambitions.
Officials of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) presided over the nomination process, while Limpopo ANC NEC deployee and convernor, Thoko Dodiza watched over the process.
Results were expected to be announced on Saturday after more than 1 000 delegates voted.
Pretoria News