By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Panyaza Lesufi has been elected as the new chairperson at the 14th African National Congress (ANC) Gauteng Provincial Conference in the early hours of Monday morning.
Lesufi defeated his rival, Leboganga Maile, with 575 votes to 543.
Despite Maile losing out on the top job, his other supporters took home the prize. The ANC in Ekurhuleni were the biggest winners of the night with the region’s secretary.
The conference has seen three women taking the top five leadership positions in Gauteng.
Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko serves as the vice-chairperson, with TK Nciza, the provincial secretary. His deputy is Tasneem Motara. Morakane Mosupye is the newly elected Provincial Treasurer.
Nciza beat his rival, Sedibeng regional leader Thulani Kunene, by securing 534 votes, compared to Kunene’s 525. Former ANC provincial secretary Jacob Khawe only managed 56 votes.
Some leaders from the regions in the province held intense negotiations in an attempt to have an uncontested conference. They had tried to get Lesufi and Maile to agree that one becomes chair and the other his deputy. These negotiations are said to have collapsed after Ekurhuleni and Sedibeng failed to come to the table.
The party has become less and less popular in the province and has been on a steady electoral decline in the past six general and local government elections.
For the first time since the advent of democracy, the party is expected to drop below 50% in the province in the 2024 general elections.
This means to govern the province, the ANC will have to enter into a coalition. However, depending on how far below 50% the party drops, there is an opportunity for the opposition party to put together their own coalition essentially kicking the ANC out.
However, the conference held in Benoni, east of Johannesburg, is still continuing with other business, including breaking for commissions, even though it was meant to close on Sunday.