Pretoria - The ANC in Gauteng has joined its Limpopo counterparts in supporting President Cyril Ramaphosa's bid to contest for a second term before the party’s national elective conference expected to take place in Nasrec, Johannesburg, in December.
The party, led by recently elected provincial chairperson and Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, has also given the nod to party treasurer-general Paul Mashatile as Ramaphosa’s deputy, and Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha to become the national chairperson, with the leader of the party’s national organising team, Nomvula Mokonyane, as deputy secretary-general.
While Limpopo and Gauteng seem to be in agreement with their lists, the Mpumalanga ANC has opted for Justice Minister Ronald Lamola to become deputy president of the party, to face off with Mashatile.
In recent weeks, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and former health minister Zweli Mkhize have also entered the race, to challenge Ramaphosa for the position of president.
They are likely to be supported by the ANC in Kwa-Zulu-Natal, who are still waiting for branches to nominate.
A statement issued by the ANC in Gauteng on Friday after the provincial executive meeting (PEC) reads in part: “After frank and robust deliberations on the road map towards the national conference, the policy perspective and leadership question, the ANC in Gauteng resolved to support the following leadership: current president Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa for a second term as president of the ANC, to continue with the ANC programme of organisational unity and renewal.”
The PEC further resolved to support current ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile as the deputy president of the ANC. “Comrade Paul Mashatile is a towering revolutionary, with unquestionable revolutionary morality and impeccable credentials,” it said.
The PEC also resolved to support the current ANC Limpopo chairperson, Stanley Mathabatha, for the position of national chairperson of the ANC and former Gauteng deputy chairperson and current NEC member Nomvula Mokonyane for the position of the ANC deputy secretary-general.
“Against this background, the PEC will engage and influence all structures, particularly branches of the ANC as the basic unit, the nucleus and the lifeline of the ANC on its preferred leadership,” it said.
“In the same breath, the PEC has mandated the provincial working committee (PWC) working with the officials to engage with other provinces on the leadership question.”
The party in Limpopo has welcomed Gauteng’s decision to endorse Mathabatha, who was pressured by the party in the province to reshuffle his executive committee after five of his MECs failed to make the cut in the PEC during the provincial executive conference.
It seems Mathabatha is resisting the pressure to reshuffle the committee to pave the way for his embattled deputy chairperson, Florence Radzilani, and provincial treasurer Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana.
Sources say Mathabatha feared the loss of support from other regions if he reshuffled against the backdrop of the party’s renewal project.
The Gauteng PEC also announced that it would be submitting the names of Lesufi, ANC Gauteng deputy provincial secretary Tasneem Motara and PWC member Kedibone Diale to replace current premier David Makhura as Gauteng premier.
Pretoria News