With just a few months left to the 54th elective congress, it means David Mabuza will arrive with a united province at the Nasrec Showgrounds when Africa’s oldest liberation movement meets for its five-yearly elective conference in December.
The results of the ANC regional congresses in the Mpumalanga province mean that the ANC in Mpumalanga is united, delegates have said.
Delegates who spoke to 013NEWS on Friday and Saturday said they are united behind the elected leadership.
Nkangala ANC chairman Speedy Mashilo, Gert Sibande’s Muzi Chirwa, Bohlabela’s Gillion Mashigo and eHlanzeni’s Ngrayi Ngwenya were all re-elected unopposed at congresses that sat over the weekend.
Mpumalanga wants provincial leader David Mabuza to be the deputy president when the ANC holds its 54th national congress in December 2017.
But achieving this required that Mabuza’s allies be elected to lead the four regions of Mpumalanga.
In his political report on Friday morning, Chirwa thanked Mabuza for his call for unity in the ANC “in dealing with the leadership question”.
“We acknowledge that we have made this call for organisational unity to help the ANC out of the challenges that are associated with the intense leadership contestation,” he said.
SEE ALSO: Ngrayi Ngwenya says contestation kills the ANC
Ex-AU chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma may become the next president of the ANC on a slate opposed to deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa’s bid for the party’s number one job.
She will be deputised by Mabuza while Free State ANC chairman Ace Magashule is pushed to be secretary-general.
The ANCYL wants the position of 2nd deputy secretary-general created for police minister Fikile Mbalula. Here, Jessie Duarte will be 1st deputy secretary and Mbalula the 2nd.
ANCYL provincial leader Tim Mashele was elected into the regional executive committee of the ANC in the Bohlabela region, his deputy Trevor Nkosi elected into the Gert Sibande ANC REC.
Nkangala ANCYL leader Mduduzi Nkosi was also elected into the Nkangala ANC REC.
All the top 5 in all four regions were re-elected, except in Bohlabela where Ruth Raganya took over from Steve Maunye as the deputy chairwoman of the region.
Gijimani Skhosana, who was being lobbied to take over from Mashilo, was elected into Nkangala ANC REC as an additional member.
Mpumalanga ANC secretary Mandla Ndlovu said the conferences were a success and told delegates at the Nutting House Lodge in Mbombela that as Mpumalanga they support Mabuza to be elected into the national top 6.
“Our position is that he should be deputy president, we have not yet pronounced on who should be president,” he said.
(edited by ZK)
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