ANC chair Gwede Mantashe says factionalism and slate politics in the party remain firmly entrenched as the party heads for its next leadership vote in December, contradicting the party’s electoral committee’s assertion that slate politics are dead.
In an interview with Business Day, Mantashe says the governing party still has a long way to go to abolish factional and slate politics in the build-up to the ANC’s national conference. He said factional meetings are still happening and will shape the outcome of the party’s elective conference on December 16.
At successive ANC national conferences in recent years much of the ANC top brass were elected through names listed on slates, which is the practice of voting for a faction rather than individuals, undermining genuine discussion within the party on who would be the best people to lead the organisation.
The slate phenomenon has been blamed for the election of incompetent and corrupt career politicians who join the party for monetary gain to key positions in the party.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is seeking re-election as the party’s leader, has also castigated the slate system.
“I don’t think slate politics is dead, you still have people who prefer their line-up ... Even if you don’t pronounce, you still know that a combination of so and so could be a disaster,” Mantashe said.
Mantashe is seen as a key Ramaphosa ally and has been known to defend the president against criticism from his detractors in the national executive committee (NEC). Recently, Mantashe has been vocal in defending Ramaphosa against calls in the NEC to step aside over the Phala Phala game farm saga.
Business Day has independently confirmed that members aligned with presidential hopeful and former health minister Zweli Mkhize held a caucus at the weekend to urge Mkhize to replace ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile as his preferred deputy president candidate.
Mkhize is contesting the party presidency against Ramaphosa.
Mkhize is said to have quashed the suggestion, arguing that Mashatile, who has more nominations from the branches, stands a better chance of winning the deputy president post. Mashatile received 1,791 nominations, compared to justice minister Ronald Lamola’s 427 and Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane’s 397.
The ANC’s electoral committee, spearheaded by former ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe prohibited the use of slates ahead of the party’s conference in December.
Mantashe, who is facing competition from Limpopo premier Stanley Mathabatha and deputy finance minister David Masondo as he seeks re-election as chair, has featured on a proposed “Renew22” slate. The slate is said to include Ramaphosa for president, transport minister Fikile Mbalula as secretary-general and ANC GM Febe Potgieter-Gqubule as deputy secretary.
Water & sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu and ANC national executive committee member Gwen Ramokgopa featured on the slate as deputy president and treasurer-general but did not garner sufficient nominations to make it on to the ballot.
Ramaphosa, who received 2,037 nominations from branches, has not endorsed any candidate to stand alongside him, according to his lobbyists.
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