ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe says this is his last term in office and he plans to retire “gracefully”.
Mantashe was re-elected this week at the ANC’s 55th national conference, beating Limpopo premier Stanley Mathabatha and deputy finance minister David Masondo for the position.
The energy minister secured 2,062 votes, Mathabatha 2,018 and Masondo 280.
Speaking on 702, Mantashe said this will be his last term as the ruling party’s chairperson.
He said though he has energy to steer the party in the right direction, he wants to retire “gracefully”.
“In my mind, this will be my last term but I have energy to take this last term and retire gracefully,” said Mantashe.
“Having contributed to the ANC, we are in trouble and in decline. The biggest challenge is to arrest that decline, and no individual can do that unless we develop as a team, work and connect with the people.”
‘This is my last term’: Re-elected ANC chairperson Mantashe plans to retire ‘gracefully’
Reporter
Image: LEON SADIKI
ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe says this is his last term in office and he plans to retire “gracefully”.
Mantashe was re-elected this week at the ANC’s 55th national conference, beating Limpopo premier Stanley Mathabatha and deputy finance minister David Masondo for the position.
The energy minister secured 2,062 votes, Mathabatha 2,018 and Masondo 280.
Speaking on 702, Mantashe said this will be his last term as the ruling party’s chairperson.
He said though he has energy to steer the party in the right direction, he wants to retire “gracefully”.
“In my mind, this will be my last term but I have energy to take this last term and retire gracefully,” said Mantashe.
“Having contributed to the ANC, we are in trouble and in decline. The biggest challenge is to arrest that decline, and no individual can do that unless we develop as a team, work and connect with the people.”
Mantashe alleged he was asked to pay R100,000 in exchange for 140 votes at the party’s elective conference.
“If there is one battle we almost lost it is that of fighting against money. In the past, we would heard money was used, but this time around you find people at branch and regional levels call you to tell you they have a number of delegates asking for money.
“One person phoned me and said they have 140 delegates and I must give him R100,000. I told him if I had R100,000 I would go to an auction and buy sheep or cattle, I wouldn’t give it to him,” he told eNCA.
Mantashe called on delegates who bet he wouldn’t make a comeback to pay him his R1m.
In a viral video, before voting at the conference some delegates told Mantashe he would never make it back into the top 7.
WATCH | Gwede wants his R1m after delegates bet he wouldn’t be re-elected
Mantashe told the group they shouldn’t speculate on his departure since they each only had one vote in the conference.
In a bold move, the delegates said they would bet Mantashe R1m he wouldn’t make it back.
As the conference closed, it was Mantashe who had the last laugh, saying he expected his money.
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