Limpopo’s new ANC leadership announced
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa likened the new leadership elected at the Limpopo Provincial Elective Conference to a choir singing in different harmonies but with the same goal.
POLOKWANE – The conference, which was marred by tribal squabbles and a court application to have the conference annulled, has elected both those who supported Ramaphosa going to Nasrec in December and those who were against him.
Read more: Lim ANC Elective Conference underway despite interdict threat
Ramaphosa’s main man, Chupu Stanley Mathabatha, who had earlier refused election at the December conference, was re-elected for a second term without contest while his (Ramaphosa’s) political protégé, Florence Radzilani, who is also the Vhembe District Municipality Mayor, was elected Deputy Chairperson.
Read more: Chupu Mathabatha re-elected as Limpopo ANC Chairperson
Former ANC Provincial Chairperson and Limpopo Premier, Cassel Mathale’s camarilla, Soviet Lekganyane, was elected Party Provincial Secretary while ANC Mopani Regional Secretary, Baisekopo Makamu, was elected Deputy Provincial Secretary.
Makamu, whose region was the only one in the province which supported Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma at Nasrec was nominated by almost every region under the unity ticket. Businessman Danny Msiza scooped bourgeoisies and mining magnate, Tim Tebeila for the position of Treasurer.
“As long as the new crop of leaders have a common goal for the ANC and the best interest of all at heart to build a better ANC for the benefit of all, all will be well,” said Ramaphosa to the delegates at the Protea Hotels the Ranch Resort outside Polokwane on Sunday.
“The fact that this conference elected people with different ideals and beliefs is a breath of fresh air as this leadership’s perspectives on how they view the ANC differ but they still have a common goal.”
Ramaphosa added the ANC was perturbed about certain members hoping to resolve their displeasure in the courts, adding the time was ripe for the party to go back to the drawing board and reconsider what needs to be done with those who do things in contravention of the policies and practices of the ANC.
Ramaphosa said a weak and divided ANC was a tool for detractors who are hell-bent to see the party fail.
The constitution of the ANC, he added, was clear that disgruntled members should exhaust all available avenues in the ANC before seeking out the courts as a last avenue.
On Saturday, Judge Nana Makhubele of the South Gauteng High Court dismissed an urgent application with costs by three disgruntled members of the ANC to have the Limpopo elective conference annulled. Lawyer, Dali Mpofu, who represented the disenchanted members, claimed in court papers the Limpopo Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) that presided over the conference was illegitimate and unconstitutional.
Mpofu claimed the term of office for the PEC under Mathabatha’s tutelage expired on 14 February this year and despite all this, the office of the Secretary General, Ace Magashule, at the Luthuli House brushed that aside and endorsed the same PEC to convene what he said was an illegitimate conference.
Magashule said the ANC wants to know who the people who funded them are and what their agenda was.
The announcement of the new leadership brought mixed reactions. “We are not comfortably happy. The mere fact that Jerry Ndou could not retain his position shows beyond any shadow of doubt that Mathabatha’s word is no longer law. Mathabatha should have lobbied for Ndou to stay on pole position the same way he had for Msiza,” said a Peter Mokaba branch leader, who spoke with BONUS on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Leon Mateta of ward 5 in the Greater Tzaneen Municipality, said the conference has elected tried and tested candidates of the movement who are entrusted with the know-how to take the party forward. The tripartite alliance, including the youth league in the province, accepted the outcome of the election, saying the new crop of leaders signalled an end to factional politics and division.
“The new leadership has what it takes to take the province to higher heights and to greener pastures,” said ANC Youth League Provincial Secretary, Che Selane.
