POLOKWANE – The ANC in Limpopo is set to host its 10th elective conference at The Ranch Resort starting today and ending on June 6 with 1 200 delegates expected.

During a media briefing held yesterday at the provincial ANC headquarters of Frans Mohlala House, party provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane said the Vhembe district is sending the largest number of delegates followed by Mopani, Sekhukhune, Capricorn and Waterberg.

At the heart of the contestation, members will contest for the positions of chairperson, deputy chairperson, secretary, deputy secretary, and treasurer.

Current chairperson Stanley Chupu Mathabatha and Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure MEC Dr Dickson Masemola will contest for the position of chairperson while former Vhembe Mayor, Florence Radzilani and Mopani Mayor Pule Shai will contest the deputy chair position.

Reuben Madazhe will go up against provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane for the position of secretary, while Livhuwani Ligaraba and current Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs MEC Basikopo Makamu will contest to be their deputies.

Nakedi Sibanda- Kekana and Faith Chauke will go head-to-head for the treasurer position, however, there is a collective group of young people who want ANC Limpopo spokesperson Donald Selamolela to take up the position as they want a generational mix in top leadership.

Selamolela told the Polokwane Review that all outstanding disputes relating to the Peter Mokaba region have received verdicts and have as a result been resolved. This, after the provincial secretary had earlier said that the region’s standing would be compromised if they don’t address disputes. Selamolela said they don’t anticipate any security threats despite the conference being hotly contested.

A Limpopo-based analyst, Nsizwazonke Yende told Review that Limpopo will likely have a more peaceful conference in comparison to the dramatic scenes such as those from the recent Ekurhuleni conference in Gauteng.

“I foresee a third term for the Mathabatha faction because they worked hard to consolidate support at grassroots level, plus their association with a second term for Cyril Ramaphosa will be in their favour.”

Yende said it is likely that people such as Selamolela could also fare well and perhaps join the new top five which will likely be populated by candidates tied to the third term faction.