ANC regional and provincial elections lobbying gathers steam
The ANC had initially put elective conferences on hold to give space for the 2019 general elections.
The announcement by the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) giving Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State the go-ahead to hold their regional and provincial elective conferences has cleared the way for intensive lobbying by party bigwigs jostling for the party’s top five jobs in these provinces.
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule gave the provinces the green light last week.
In Limpopo, ANC provincial secretary Nocks Seabi said the party was satisfied the province’s five regions – Sekhukhune, Mopani, Vhembe, Waterberg, and Peter Mokaba – were ready for the provincial elective conference.
“Although a lot still needs to be done, we have planned to hold the conference between June 12 and 17,” said Seabi.
Mopani ANC regional secretary Baisekopo Makamu said his region was more than ready. Mopani is the biggest region in the province in terms of numbers and the only region that supported Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for party president at Nasrec.
“We are fielding a total of 114 branches in good standing to the conference,” Makamu told The Citizen.
The Vhembe region seems to be between a rock and a hard place in terms of who to field in the top five. The region reportedly has Vhembe District Municipality’s mayor, Florence Radzilani, and current ANC deputy chairperson Jerry Ndou battling for the deputy chairperson position.
Yesterday, a source privy to the internal battles said: “I think the region is suffering from identity crisis.”
The region’s secretary, Anderson Mudunungu, said it was sending 122 branches to the conference.
On the ground, there are two lists doing the rounds ahead of the conference. The most popular names are Premier Stan Mathabatha for chairperson, Ndou for deputy chairperson, MPL Soviet Lekganyane for provincial secretary, health MEC Phophi Ramathuba for deputy secretary and mining mogul Tim Tebeila for treasurer.
Another list consists of NEC member of the ANCWL, Makoma Makhurupoetsa, as chair, Radzilani for deputy, Joshua Matlou for secretary, Phophi Ramathuba for deputy secretary and Lehlogonolo Masoga for treasurer.
Makhurupetsa has since distanced herself from the list saying: “I cannot pronounce myself, but the branches of the ANC can.”
– alexm@citizen.co.za
