Alfred Nzo has become the first Eastern Cape ANC region to publicly endorse Cyril Ramaphosa as the governing party’s presidential candidate for the December elective conference.
The region also wants Gwede Mantashe and treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize to remain in the party’s top six officials.
Mantashe has already declared that he will not return to his current position as secretary-general.
He has held the post for the past 10 years.
This means the only other position that Mantashe would likely occupy on the Ramaphosa slate would be that of national chairman or deputy president.
Speaking to the Dispatch after the historical uncontested conference yesterday, regional secretary Vukile Mhlelembana said conference delegates agreed to field “TG , Ramaphosa and SG to remain within the ANC top six officials.
“What we didn’t bother to discuss is who takes which position.
“We will engage other regions and provinces in that regard but what we said clearly as this region is that we still need men of their calibre who have integrity to lead the ANC going forward,” said Mhlelembana.
President Jacob Zuma has tacitly shown his support for his former wife and past African Union chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to succeed him.
The Eastern Cape is due to elect its own provincial leaders in September.
Mhlelembana also confirmed that delegates at their conference endorsed Oscar Mabuyane as their choice for the provincial chairmanship.
“We will campaign for Mabuyane, Mvoko as his deputy, Lulama Ngcukaitobi as provincial secretary, Helen Sauls-August as deputy secretary and Babalo Madikizela as treasurer,” Mhlelembana said.
Mabuyane is likely to contest current ANC provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle for the position.
Delegates for the region – which covers the KwaBhaca and Emaxesibeni – made history on Wednesday when they elected its top five officials without a contest.
The conference outcome is almost unprecedented in the ANC as it took a mere 30 minutes for the conference credentials – disputes over which usually last days at times – to be adopted.
The ANC region retained its chairman Sixolise Mehlomakhulu, his deputy Momelezi Mbedla, regional secretary Vukile Mhlelembana, deputy secretary Tsileng Sobuthongo, as well as treasurer Babalo Madikizela, to serve for the second term.
Both Mkhize and Mabuyane attended the conference yesterday, which was held at Umzimvubu Town hall, KwaBhaca, since Wednesday.
Addressing delegates at plenary, Mkhize said the governing party needed to be serious about the fight against corruption “even if it means we stop being friends”.
He said the party would have to take drastic action against corruption, because “we cannot sustain an ANC that loses respect”.
He also sang the praises of the Alfred Nzo region, for “presenting a united leadership” for the region.
“You did this in an important year in the ANC’s history, 2017, when the party is dealing with a whole range of challenges including scramble for its control, and members turning against each other.
“What you did here is to set a good example,” said Mkhize.
He said “for the ANC to be respected it must show leadership”.
“Factions are bad for the ANC. If something is wrong it must be wrong even if you are in my faction.”
Alfred Nzo wants Cyril and Gwede in ANC top six
The region also wants Gwede Mantashe and treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize to remain in the party’s top six officials.
Mantashe has already declared that he will not return to his current position as secretary-general.
He has held the post for the past 10 years.
This means the only other position that Mantashe would likely occupy on the Ramaphosa slate would be that of national chairman or deputy president.
Speaking to the Dispatch after the historical uncontested conference yesterday, regional secretary Vukile Mhlelembana said conference delegates agreed to field “TG , Ramaphosa and SG to remain within the ANC top six officials.
“What we didn’t bother to discuss is who takes which position.
“We will engage other regions and provinces in that regard but what we said clearly as this region is that we still need men of their calibre who have integrity to lead the ANC going forward,” said Mhlelembana.
President Jacob Zuma has tacitly shown his support for his former wife and past African Union chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to succeed him.
The Eastern Cape is due to elect its own provincial leaders in September.
Mhlelembana also confirmed that delegates at their conference endorsed Oscar Mabuyane as their choice for the provincial chairmanship.
“We will campaign for Mabuyane, Mvoko as his deputy, Lulama Ngcukaitobi as provincial secretary, Helen Sauls-August as deputy secretary and Babalo Madikizela as treasurer,” Mhlelembana said.
Mabuyane is likely to contest current ANC provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle for the position.
Delegates for the region – which covers the KwaBhaca and Emaxesibeni – made history on Wednesday when they elected its top five officials without a contest.
The conference outcome is almost unprecedented in the ANC as it took a mere 30 minutes for the conference credentials – disputes over which usually last days at times – to be adopted.
The ANC region retained its chairman Sixolise Mehlomakhulu, his deputy Momelezi Mbedla, regional secretary Vukile Mhlelembana, deputy secretary Tsileng Sobuthongo, as well as treasurer Babalo Madikizela, to serve for the second term.
Both Mkhize and Mabuyane attended the conference yesterday, which was held at Umzimvubu Town hall, KwaBhaca, since Wednesday.
Addressing delegates at plenary, Mkhize said the governing party needed to be serious about the fight against corruption “even if it means we stop being friends”.
He said the party would have to take drastic action against corruption, because “we cannot sustain an ANC that loses respect”.
He also sang the praises of the Alfred Nzo region, for “presenting a united leadership” for the region.
“You did this in an important year in the ANC’s history, 2017, when the party is dealing with a whole range of challenges including scramble for its control, and members turning against each other.
“What you did here is to set a good example,” said Mkhize.
He said “for the ANC to be respected it must show leadership”.
“Factions are bad for the ANC. If something is wrong it must be wrong even if you are in my faction.”
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