WATCH | Regions’ unity slate for Limpopo ANC leadership deemed invalid

Limpopo ANC provincial secretary Vhamusanda Reuben Madadzhe has publicly disavowed a unity slate circulated by the party’s five regional structures ahead of the internal provincial leadership conference scheduled for March.

The move comes amid a protracted contest between factions backing premier Phophi Ramathuba and Polokwane mayor John Mpe for the provincial chairmanship ahead of a March 2026 conference where branches across the province will assert their influence in an otherwise indecisive leadership landscape.

Limpopo is the ANC’s largest province with membership numbers standing at 123,299 and 568 branches. Whoever wins the race for chair of the province is also likely to influence the race for the ANC’s national elective conference in 2027 where ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa’s successor will be elected.

Under long-standing ANC convention, candidates are formally prohibited from openly campaigning or lobbying for leadership positions, a rule intended to preserve organisational discipline and project unity.

In practice, however, leadership contests are often shaped through informal factional alignments, regional endorsements and behind-the-scenes negotiations particularly as elective conferences approach.

Party regions in the province have increasingly called the shots in recent weeks ahead of the branch meetings which traditionally nominate their preferred candidates for leadership.

The five provincial regions, Capricorn, Mopani, Sekhukhune, Vhembe and Waterberg, resolved last week to support a unity slate in order to avoid a bruising contest between the two frontrunners.

Madadzhe, who is earmarked to re-run for provincial secretary, told Business Day the decision by the regions has not been sanctioned by the ANC’s provincial elective committee (PEC) and is therefore invalid.

“It’s the regions that are lobbying themselves what they are not allowed to do is impose their lobbying to branches,” Madadzhe said.

“Our branches must be given space to look at the leadership in the province and choose without any interference and choose who they want.”

The agreed leadership perspective proposes Ramathuba as provincial chair with Mpe as deputy chair, Pule Shayi for deputy secretary and Eddie Maila as treasurer.

“This collective decision is rooted in our commitment to unity, internal cohesion and the strengthening of the organisation’s capacity to serve the people of Limpopo,” the statement by the five regions read.

“Following an intense, careful and extensive political discussion on the leadership question, the regions of the ANC in Limpopo have reached consensus on comrades to serve as provincial executive committee (PEC) officials. This collective decision is rooted in our commitment to unity, internal cohesion and the strengthening of the organisation’s capacity to serve the people of Limpopo.”