By: Siyabonga Sithole
Johannesburg - The ninth North West Provincial Conference finally announced its top five leadership following a weekend of drama and chaos at the Olympia Park Stadium in Rustenburg on Monday.
After the withdrawal of former provincial chairperson Supra Mahumapelo from the chairperson position on Sunday, the race for the province's top leadership position was left to Bushy Maape and Nono Maloyi to contest.
With the backing of Mahumapelo's block, Maloyi emerged victorious and convincingly won the race for the top position of provincial chairperson.
It was an epic elective conference mired in controversy from the beginning following a court case lodged against the conference and the existence of bogus delegates.
The voting, which took place late into Sunday evening, eventually named its top five in the early hours of Monday morning.
Maloyi won the race with 373 votes to Maape's 294, and for the deputy chairpersonship, Lazarous Mokgosi emerged victorious with 353 votes to Paul Sebekgoe's 311 votes. Louis Keneetsoe Mosenogi managed to get 285 votes.
For the deputy provincial secretary position, the only female representative in the top five, Viola Motsumi, emerged victorious with 280 votes to Bitsa Lenkopane's 246 votes and Motlalepule Rosho's 141 votes. The fifth position of provincial secretary was taken by Sello Lehari, who raked in a massive tally of 380 votes to Lenah Miga's 280 votes.
Many have decried the newly elected leadership for its lack of youth and female representation, as Motsumi is the only female in the top five.
In his acceptance speech, Maloyi called for an end to factionalism and lobby groups, adding that though it is normal for conferences to have lobby groups before a conference. These must stop once the new leadership has been chosen.
"We are not leading a faction, but we are leading the African National Congress. Whatever we do as this leadership, we must do it for the benefit of the ANC and not for the benefit of a faction. All of you are comrades when you arrived at this conference, and it is normal because in any elective conference to have lobby groups and different streams. But once the leadership has been elected, those lobby groups and streams must cease to exist, "Maloyi said.
Maloyi also said the time for political rhetoric must come to an end to ensure that the party emerged victorious in the 2024 general elections.
"The time for slogans and political rhetoric is over. Our people are tired of this English that we speak. Our people want implementation. A divided ANC will never assist us to win the 2024 elections. As we go out of this conference, we must know that we are all equal members of the ANC. Those who voted for us and those who did not vote for us, this is your leadership,“ he said.
The Star