President Cyril Ramaphosa and Premier Stan Mathabatha shaking hands with ANC leaders in Mopani during Letsema Campaign.
The African National Congress in the Norman Mashabane (Mopani) region is ready for the party 55th national elective conference scheduled for December in the Gauteng Province.
Mopani went to its conference late last year ahead of the fiercely contested provincial conference, which pitted Premier Stanley Mathabatha against MEC Dr Namane Masemola. Mathabatha and his collective emerged victorious.
With the provincial conference concluded, the Mopani five sub regions went to their conferences to renew their long-expired leadership mandates.
The outcome of the provincial conference led to the realignment of loyalties as shown by the outcomes of the sub regional conferences. All the sub regions, except Greater Letaba, went to Premier Mathabatha’s third term slate.
Mark Shope (Greater Tzaneen) saw the fiercest leadership contest of the five sub regions, with the conference uncharacteristically running into two days. Disagreements over the voting method, open vs secret ballot, forced the conference to take two days to complete its business.
Longstanding chairperson of Pusela branch in the Tzaneen town, Masilo Maloko emerged as the new chairperson. George Mkhabele retained the position of secretary after defeating Tzaneen municipality chief whip Given Malatji.
According to sources Maloko’s victory strengthens the hand of the Greater Tzaneen mayor Gerson Molapisane, in the municipality and the in the region where chairperson Pule Shayi is losing ground.
Molapisane is free to implement his vision for the municipality, instead of spending time thwarting encroachments in the institution if the other slate won.
So excited where some in the Mopani region after the sub regional conferences, they called for a special regional council to possibly pass a motion of no confidence and restructure the regional executive committee.
With the regional, provincial and sub-regional conference sealed, focus is on the provincial conference where President Cyril Ramaphosa appears to be certain to be handed a second term. Premier Mathabatha is set to replace Minister Gwede Mantashe as national chairperson.
On the secretary general position, some branches are nominating former Kwa-Zulu Natal provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli and others former Eastern Cape provincial chairperson Phumulo Masualle.
Unlike past conferences, the 55th ANC national conference looks set to be the most peaceful of them all. To date, no disruptions or fighting took place during branch general meetings. It is all plain sail.
There are five candidates for deputy president – Paul Mashatile, DD Mabuza, Ronald Lamola, Mamoloko Kubayi and Oscar Mabuyane. Mashatile is most likely to emerge with the endorsement of Limpopo, Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal.