By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Limpopo elective conference results are going to be announced any moment from now after 1 000 delegates voted to pick the top five to lead the province.
The voting process only started around 5:00 on Saturday morning, owing to severe delays in the start of the conference.
Once the conference started on Friday evening, the process seemingly went off without too many glitches.
Before nominations, there were concerns around who should be allowed to vote, resulting in delays.
Current chairperson Stanley Mathabatha and Dickson Masemola’s slates were both nominated without to many surprises.
Florence Radzilani, lesser-known Reuben Madadzhe, Basikopo Makamu, and Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana were respectively nominated on the Mathabatha’s slate for deputy chairperson, secretary, deputy secretary, and treasurer.
Mopani District Mayor Pule Shayi, current provincial ANC secretary Soviet Lekganyane, Livhuwani Ligaraba, and Faith Chauke were elected on Masemola’s slate as deputy chairperson, secretary, deputy secretary and treasurer candidates, respectively.
Current ANC Limpopo spokesperson Donald Selamolela was nominated from the floor as a third candidate for treasurer, but he declined the nomination.
There was an attempt to nominate VBS-accused Danny Msiza by those supporting the Mathabatha slate, but the attempt was quickly quashed by ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, without Msiza’s letter, which indicated whether he accepted or declined nomination, even being read.
“Comrade Msiza is not at the conference because he had to step aside, so he would not be taking part,” Mashatile told delegates.
This was a result of the governing party’s decision to implement the resolution from its 54th conference, which compels members who have been charged with corruption to step down from their posts.
They had still not been charged by 2020, which prompted the NEC to allow them to once again serve within its ranks.
Mathabatha, who is seeking re-election said the ANC should take an uncompromising stance against any push back against the party’s renewal programme.
He called on the party to root out tendencies which threaten the party’s survival such as careerism and corruption.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa will undoubtedly be the biggest winner of the Limpopo leadership race as both contenders vying to chair the province have openly declared their support for his campaign to lead the party for a second term.
Mathabatha was one of the first provincial chairs to have openly pronounced on Ramaphosa’s second term at the ANC’s 8 January birthday celebrations, which resulted in a backlash from those who felt it was a premature move.
Masemola has similarly expressed his support for Ramaphosa and taken a strong anti-corruption stance.
Three of the five regions — Vhembe, Sekhukhune and Peter Mokaba have previously endorsed both Mathabatha and Ramaphosa.
The ANC is facing a tough battle ahead of the 2024 national and provincial elections after its support dropped in the local government elections last year.