By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Fikile Mbalula announced the newly appointed Gauteng Provincial Task Team (PTT).
The new leadership structure will be led by Amos Masondo who will hold former chairperson Panyaza Lesufi’s hand as he comes in as co-convener.
Ntombi Mekgwe is the deputy convener, Hope Papo will be the coordinator, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko will be his deputy and Tasneem Motara will be the fundraiser.
Masondo was the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces from 2019 to 2024 and executive mayor of Johannesburg. Papo, a former MP, was the parliamentary counsellor to the leader of government business and has also served as Gauteng’s provincial secretary and health MEC.
Gauteng secretary TK Nciza was demoted to additional member in the provincial task team, serving as the convenor for policy, monitoring and evaluation of the province. He was not present when the new leadership was announced.
Mbalula said the reconfigured Gauteng leadership’s primary task is to recover electoral ground lost to opposition parties.
“Preparations for the 2026 local government elections will be a key focus with the objective of recovering lost ground and ensuring the ANC remains at the centre of government,” he said, adding that the leadership will integrate the provincial executive committee into an interim structure reinforced with former leaders and veterans to provide guidance and ensure continuity.
“This intervention seeks to strengthen the ANC’s capacity in the province and deepen its connection with communities and key sectors of society,” Mbalula said.
The restructuring follows a decision by the ANC national executive committee (NEC) last year to overhaul the leadership in both Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal after the party’s dismal performance in May 2024 general elections.
In Gauteng, the ANC’s support dropped about 19 percentage points to 34.55% in last year’s elections compared with 2019, forcing it to form a provincial coalition government with smaller parties.
Mbalula said the leadership changes were not punitive but aimed at enhancing the ANC’s organisational effectiveness in Gauteng, which remains a crucial political battleground.
“This intervention seeks to strengthen the ANC’s capacity in the province, deepen its connection with communities and key sectors of society,” he said.
“It is a response to the need to ensure the ANC’s organisational effectiveness in the country’s most populous and economically significant province.”
He added that ethical leadership and discipline would be prioritised to address corruption, construction and human settlement extortions and crime.
Mbalula added that Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal were central to the ANC’s renewal and recovery strategy, because results from these provinces heavily influenced the party’s national vote share dropping to 41% in 2024.