Ahead of the opening of the ANC’s nominations process on Wednesday for its internal leadership contest, President Cyril Ramaphosa has received endorsements from two provinces to be re-elected to lead the party for another five years.
Ramaphosa, whose office this week indicated to Business Day that he intends to stand for re-election in December, has received endorsements from Limpopo and the North West, which held their provincial executive meetings at the weekend.
The final say on which candidates appear on the ballot box lies with branches, which will from Wednesday nominate candidates to be elected into the party’s national executive committee (NEC).
Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape are expected to follow suit with their support for Ramaphosa re-election, making him a shoo-in for the role.
Ramaphosa, who has said unity of the ANC cannot be used to justify criminality, was elected on a reform ticket as party president in 2017. Allegations he formed part of a cover-up of the burglary at his farm in Phala Phala have threatened to put a cloud over his anti-corruption and reform agenda. The allegations, which were brought forward by former spy boss Authur Fraser and which Ramaphosa has denied, are the subject of investigation by many law enforcement agencies and security organs.
The Limpopo provincial executive committee (PEC) has also indicated its support for Paul Mashatile, the ANC’s treasurer general to be elected as deputy president, a post currently occupied by David Mabuza.
“The PEC further resolved that it will support Paul Mashatile as the deputy president and Chupu Stanley Mathabatha for national chairperson and the engagements with other provinces should immediately begin as led by the officials,” says provincial secretary Reuben Madadzhe.
Mashatile, who is yet to announce his candidacy, is set to compete with other potential ANC deputy president hopefuls — justice minister Ronald Lamola, human settlements minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and Eastern Cape premier and provincial chair Oscar Mabuyane.
Newly elected North West chair Nono Maloyi told reporters on Monday following the PEC meeting that the province would continue to support Ramaphosa’s leadership.
“The president is doing a good job with his collective and we support the president of the ANC in the work that he is doing and his collective and so on. We shall continue to support that work,” Maloyi said.
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