Gauteng premier David Makhura is not bowing to pressure to resign after his ousting as the ANC’s provincial chair at the party’s recent conference.
President Cyril Ramaphosa seems to agree, saying that changes to the national and provincial executive should be made in the interests of governance and stability.
In an interview, Makhura said he’d prefer to step down ahead of the state of the province address next year “to give the new ANC leadership time” to lead the party’s campaign ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Responding to questions after reports that the ANC in Gauteng had called on Ramaphosa to absorb Makhura into the national executive, the presidency suggested this may not be the best way forward.
“Cabinet appointments remain the president’s prerogative. The stability of government and further capacitation of the state at all levels is one of the foremost priorities of the president. Any leadership transition must be informed by this priority and continue to enhance the state’s capacity to fulfil its mandate,” Ramaphosa spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.
His comments follow the sudden resignation of KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala after his ousting as ANC provincial chair at the governing party’s provincial conference.
Until a decision is taken, Makhura said he is focused on governance, including tackling corruption head on. This includes implementing lifestyle audits on senior government officials. “All the MECs will do a polygraph test. That is the final end of the process. The polygraph test is crucial to us. It is what we call the gold standard,” Makhura said.
By the ANC’s own admission, corruption has led to electoral losses for the governing party in successive elections. The ANC has haemorrhaged support in Gauteng over the past two general elections, maintaining its majority by a small margin in the 2019 poll. In the 2014 poll, it lost over 10% of support in one ballot after the introduction of e-tolls on Gauteng roads.
Business Day reported last week that Ramaphosa has informed the ANC and his closest aides that unless forced to, he will not undertake a major cabinet reshuffle until after the governing party’s national conference in December.
One of Ramaphosa’s advisers said: “It is not going to happen, not a big reshuffle. It would be stupid of the president to grow the ranks of his opponents when he faces re-election and he knows that.”
Another ANC national executive committee member said: “Ramaphosa read the mood of the meeting at the [ANC’s] policy conference. He is probably safe. Why would he give his opponents ammunition?”
The ANC in Gauteng is understood to have lobbied Ramaphosa to replace former public administration minister Ayanda Dlodlo, who resigned to take up a position at the World Bank earlier this year, with Makhura.
“He is not keen. The question is urgency, and the president does not see replacing Dlodlo as urgent,” another source in the presidency said last week.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.