Mokgoro is ‘the man for the North West job’

The disbandment of the North West ANC provincial executive committee is positive for a province that has been beset by political infighting and factionalism in the ruling party for many years – and the choice of premier Job Mokgoro as head of the ANC provincial task team is a great move, political analysts have said.

In a move that one expert said was meant to bring Mokgoro into the ANC structures, the national executive committee on Thursday dissolved the PEC, which was led by former premier Supra Mahumapelo, and replaced it with the provincial task team.

The PEC gave Luthuli House a hard time after they instructed Mahumapelo to stay after he was initially ordered by party top brass to step down amid public service protests against him.

Political analyst Lesiba Teffo doubted if the new move would achieve unity. But the expert highly praised Mokgoro’s leadership describing him as a “very capable man”, a technocrat and an intellectual who is highly respected by all.

“He has been deployed to fix before in North West. He has a wealth of experience and at 76 years of age has no ambition for a political office. That makes him suitable to lead the team,” Teffo said.

Mokgoro was deployed and appointed as premier by President Cyril Ramaphosa to replace Mahumapelo earlier this year, following protests and calls for Mahumapelo to resign – which he did, but he remained at the helm of the ANC in the province.

Following a special NEC meeting held in Cape Town on Thursday, party secretary-general Ace Magashule said the top leadership had resolved to intervene in North West to enhance its capacity to meet its mandate to the people.

“The NEC agreed to set up an inclusive task team with the aim of uniting the organisation.

“The team is expected to work with all structures of the ANC, including alliance partners, in guiding the provincial government and in building a potent electioneering machinery going into 2019,” Magashule said.

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