The ANC has deployed its big wigs to Mpumalanga where the province is convening its first elective conference since the departure of David Mabuza in 2017.
This is happening despite threats by party members in the province to interdict the elective conference.
This is the first of eight provincial conferences to be held ahead of the ANC’s national conference in December when president Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to seek a second term to lead the party.
ANC national executive members Mduduzi Manana, Dakota Legoete and Collen Maine have been deployed to the provincial conference which is expected to start on Friday and end on Sunday.
Newly appointed co-ordinator Gwen Ramokgopa, head of organising Nomvula Mokonyane as well as justice minister Ronald Lamola — who is speculated to be one of the party’s deputy president candidates — have also been sent to the province ahead of the conference.
Ramokgopa, who was appointed as national co-ordinator in the ANC’s top six, is the de facto secretary-general after the suspension of corruption accused Ace Magashule. The deputy secretary-general, Jesse Duarte who was acting in Magashule’s position, is on leave due to ill health.
Ramokgopa’s role includes the daily running of the party as well as giving the green light to provinces to host conferences after conducting an audit of branches that are qualified to send delegates to conference.
Though the national executive committee (NEC) deployees have descended on the province to ensure that the conference goes ahead smoothly, insiders who spoke to Business Day say that lobbying of branches by the national leadership “cannot be ruled” out.
Mpumalanga is the ANC’s second-biggest province and was central to Ramaphosa’s election in 2017. The province, along with KwaZulu-Natal, the ANC’s biggest voting bloc and the country’s economic powerhouse, Gauteng, is expected to back Ramaphosa’s return as party president.
Meanwhile, Emalahleni is a hive of activity as the party’s over 700 voting delegates prepare for the conference.
ANC treasury-general Paul Mashatile is expected to open the conference on Friday and Ramaphosa will give the closing address on Sunday.
Instances of violence and membership rigging have marred the lead-up to the twice-postponed conference, leading the provincial task team to increase security at the venue.
Without providing details of the increased security, provincial co-ordinator Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, who is tipped to return as the deputy chair, said the ANC was not “taking any chances”.
ANC members Vilanculo Francisco and Edward Mahlangu want the court to nullify the decision to convert the province executive committee into a provincial task team, led by Ntshalintshali and convener Mandla Ndlovu.
Ndlovu, one of the front-runners for the position of chair, declared his support for Ramaphosa’s second term during the president’s visit to the province earlier in March. He is expected to face off with Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, the premier of the province.
Ntshalintshali and Ndlovu were appointed co-ordinator and convener of the task team along with others earlier this month when the ANC national working committee (NWC) dissolved the provincial executive committee.
They say this decision has not yet been ratified by the NEC, the highest decision making body of the ANC.
Legoete said the ANC is ready to oppose the interdict, adding that the NWC’s decision has already been approved by the NEC.
“There’s nothing amiss about the NWC decision. The NWC had to make a decision because at that time there was an intention to interdict the PEC because its mandate had lapsed.”
maekot@businesslive.co.za
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