Gillion Mashego tells Zuma: ‘We want Mabuza to be deputy president’

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Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza with ANC president Jacob Zuma at the party's Sbongile rally in Acornhoek, Mpumalanga. PICTURE BY MfisoDIGITAL

The leader of the ANC in the Bohlabelo region of Mpumalanga has told President Jacob Zuma that when the ANC goes to its elective congress next year they want provincial chairman David Mabuza to be deputy president.

Bohlabelo ANC regional chairman Gillion Mashego was thanking the thousands of supporters for coming in numbers to the party’s Sibongile rally at the sports ground of the Acornhoek Tvet College in Bushbuckridge where Zuma addressed and thanked them for voting for the ANC as part of the party’s national cadre’s forum program.

The Mpumalanga area of Bushbuckridge is located in the Bohlabelo region, whose chairman is Mashego.

“We thank the President for coming and we want to ensure him that we will continue to strengthen the ANC, we will continue to remain the home of the ANC.

“But we also wish to convey our message to the President that when we convene for our congress next year we as Mpumalanga we want position number two,” Mashigo.

Both Mabuza and Zuma laughed as Mashego was on stage telling the crowds of their wish for the Premier to be the next deputy president of the ANC.

SEE ALSO: Muzi Chirwa opens succession debate, lobbies Mabuza to top six

Mabuza is a staunch Zuma ally and believed to be the leader of an ANC lobby group called Premier League that wants him as deputy president and AU chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as President when the ANC sits for its elective congress next year.

Addressing the thousands, Zuma slammed the West and told the supporters that it was Eastern countries who helped the ANC fight Apartheid.

“The countries that claim to love us today were supporting Apartheid,” Zuma said.

“The ANC sent our beloved leader, President Oliver Tambo to go ask for assistance from the Western countries for us to go to train militarily in order to be able to fight Apartheid and they refused because they were friends of those who were oppressing us.”

He added: “Today they want to destroy the ANC because we have joined the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China)”.

(edited by MLM)

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