By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
As voting continues for the top seven officials there are new developments emanating from the last-minute horse-trading between provinces.
African National Congress (ANC) nominated just two candidates to run for its top job on Saturday night, leaving President Cyril Ramaphosa facing the former health minister Zweli Mkhize in a party vote.
The winner will have the ANC’s blessing to run for president in 2024 elections under its banner, historically a shoo-in for the country’s top job since the party’s leading light Nelson Mandela ended white minority rule in 1994.
The ANC’s 55th conference, which started on Friday, 16 December, has been marked by delays and technical glitches.
ANC Gauteng organiser Lebogang Maile said a large contingent of Gauteng delegates abandoned a push for Ramaphosa to get second term, because his allies opted not to support their preferred candidate for his second in-command, Mashatile.
“There are provinces that supported our candidates and we support their candidates. We took a decision as provincial executive committee to support president Ramaphosa, but there is a condition to that.
“There is a condition that they support our candidate comrade Paul Mashatile and Nomvula Mokonyane. Unfortunately, the candidates that support President Ramaphosa don’t support our candidates,” Maile said.
Mkhize lobbyists said they believed the growth in support for the former health minister from Limpopo and Gauteng was detrimental for Ramaphosa.
ANC Limpopo chairperson Stanley Mathabatha meanwhile went against a directive by his provincial executive committee (PEC) to support Ramaphosa.
Mathabatha attended a head-counting event held by the Mkhize camp on Sunday afternoon as delegates were expected to start voting later in the day.
Addressing the gathering, also attended by anti-Ramaphosa party members, including Bathabile Dlamini and Phumulo Masualle, Mathabatha urged the Mkhize camp to fight on.
“Comrades, we are going to fight this battle; we will fight it because it’s a good war. It is a good war because we are fighting for the soul of the ANC,” said Mathabatha to loud cheers from those in attendance.
Mathabatha’s public endorsement of Mkhize came as the ANC in Limpopo on Sunday issued a statement distancing itself from leaders making utterances in support of Mkhize despite the province’s general council having pronounced itself as backing Ramaphosa.
In a last-ditch attempt to crack the whip by the province, it sent out a statement on Sunday saying: “The ANC in Limpopo PEC has noted some statements making the rounds on various media platforms wherein an unfortunate impression was created that we have deserted the outcomes of a branch general meeting.”
This after ANC Limpopo deputy chairperson Florence Radzilani said the province had abandoned Ramaphosa.
She added the reason was that Ramaphosa’s people had rejected them and were not accommodative of those not part of their faction.
With KZN fully behind him with more than 800 votes, coupled with half from Eastern Cape and Gauteng plus sizeable numbers from Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West, Mkhize looks set to win the presidential race.