POLL | Is Ronald Lamola a suitable candidate for the position of ANC deputy president?

Justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola has become the latest to indicate an interest in contesting the position of deputy president of the ANC in the party's elective conference in December.

Lamola told Sunday Times Daily the ANC needed younger leaders in the top six. 

“Reality is there must be a generational mix in the top six. There must be new blood and infusion of various generations, not only to enable us to renew the ANC, in terms of ideas, but leadership itself.”

He would respond to calls for him to contest the position when the party opened the succession debate. 

Lamola might contest the position with controversial MP and chairperson of the ANC’s Milo Malatjie branch in Seshego, Polokwane, Boy Mamabolo, who said ANC branches wanted him as party deputy president.

He told TimesLIVE in December he could not refuse calls by party structures if they wanted him in the position. Mamabolo said ANC structures wanted young people in key positions in the party.

The deputy president is the party’s head of deployment and leader of government business in parliament.

If elected deputy president Mamabolo said he would ensure that young people are placed in strategic positions, including cabinet and in councils.