JOHANNESBURG - This comes after ANC Youth League (ANCYL) deputy president Ronald Lamola called on  Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to become president of the ANC.
“One day Comrade Kgalema Motlanthe will become president of the ANC. It is written in the history books of the ANC,” Lamola said.
He was speaking at an ANCYL Nelson Mandela  lecture in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, at the weekend.

Yesterday ANC spokesman Keith Khoza poured cold water on Lamola’s  remarks, saying: “Irrespective of what people are saying, it is the branches that will decide on the leadership of the ANC. It is not individuals who suggest names but branches of the ANC.”

ANC branches will start nominating candidates for all party’s national executive committee (NEC) positions in October ahead of elective conference later this year.

The ANC is holding its national conference in Mangaung in December, when it will elect those who will lead the party for next the four years.

Responding to Lamola’s remarks, Motlanthe’s spokesman Thabo Masebe said Lamola was expressing a wish. “Nobody had approached Motlanthe about any discussion of the leadership in the ANC. He will not entertain that.

“His position is clear. Leaders must respect the right of branches to elect leaders. Nothing must be done to take away that right.

He will not be part of any lobby group. The nomination starts in October,” Masebe told The Citizen.

The Sunday Times reported that Motlanthe had rejected overtures from a Zuma-aligned lobby group which wanted to cut a deal for the party’s leadership.

Many in the ANC favour Motlanthe over President Jacob Zuma as the party’s next leader.
The league is pushing for a change of leadership in Mangaung.

Its former president Julius Malema is reportedly leading a campaign to unseat Zuma in favour of  Motlanthe.

– ngwakom@citizen.co.za.