He says he will support Tsipane while the Mpumalanga ANC prepares to battle it out for internal elections.
Ermelo based ANC leader and PEC member Sibusiso ‘The Great’ Sgudla is not available for the position of deputy chair when Mpumalanga holds its 13th elective congress.
He said he heard that there were others in party structures who were pumping for him to contest the position of deputy chairperson, a seat that Nkangala leader Speedy Mashilo also eyes, but won’t be available.
The Great said he will support Mashilo for the position of deputy chair in a slate where Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane is the chairwoman. His whole involvement as a member of the ANC in good standing and a cherished and feared leader is “to support, not to contest,” he said.
The new twist in including Mashilo in Tsipane’s slate of #RMT19 is a calculated move by the Tsipane bloc to try and block the #NdlovuChirwa bloc of acting secretary Lindiwe Ntshalintshali by ripping them of Mashilo, a leader of the province’s economic hub.
The #NdlovuChirwa bloc pins its hope on Gert Sibande, Nkangala and the now disbanded Bohlabela region while the #RMT19 of Tsipane has an almost firm support of the now disbanded eHlanzeni region and Tsipane will have to divide Nkangala by wooing Mashilo to her side if she is to have any hope of emerging.
But Mashilo said he is not interested in slates and wished something can be done by the ANC so that “we can get these slates finished”.
He said the people who were supporting slates were not genuine in the objective goals of the ANC but did so “because they are going to get work, and they are going to get money”.
SEE HERE: Scrambles for tenders weaken Mpumalanga ANC – Speedy Mashilo
Two weeks ago Nkangala secretary Leah Khoza signalled support for the NdlovuChirwa bloc wherein Ntshalintshali shall retain her post as provincial deputy secretary and Mashilo as deputy chair. She addressed a gathering of women at the Lynnville community hall and ripped into other female comrades who receive a “grand entrance” to power at the expense of other women who have been there in the struggle.
Tsipane’s campaign is based on clean governance and “ethical leadership” and also wants her to use state machineries to create a better life for all the people of the province.
Lobbyists of the #NdlovuChirwa bloc want the ANC renewed and its trust amongst the people who loyally vote for it restored, while also “affirming its independence” from deputy president DD Mabuza’s influence.
For example, they believe Mabuza is a good leader to take the country forward but they want him to concentrate on national and international affairs and let comrades decide on their own how the ANC Mpumalanga should be run based on the party’s constitution and guidelines to make the lives of the poor in the province better.
They apparently want the ANC to report to its membership than to Mabuza’s Barberton farm and want current acting chairman Mandla Ndlovu as chair, Gert Sibande leader Muzi Chirwa as secretary, Mashilo as deputy chair and Ntshalintshali as deputy secretary. It also wants Piennar strongman Mandla Msibi as treasurer.
ALSO SEE: Battle goes to 13th congress with new #NdlovuChirwa campaign
The Great said he will support Tsipane. He said Tsipane and Mashilo as well as Ngomane, Shongwe and Manzini will make a sound leadership.
Meanwhile, City Press reports that the name of former communications minister Dina Pule is also being thrown in the hat for the position of chairperson and her slate wants Ntshalintshali as deputy chairperson, Mandla Ndlovu as secretary, Pat Ngomane as deputy secretary and Shongwe as treasurer.
#RMT19 SLATE
– Chairperson
Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane
– Deputy chair
Speedy Mashilo
– Secretary
Pat Ngomane
– Deputy secretary
Sasekani Manzini
-Treasurer
Vusi Shongwe
#NDLOVUCHIRWA SLATE
-Chairperson
Mandla Ndlovu
– Deputy chair
Speedy Mashilo
– Secretary
Muzi Chirwa
– Deputy secretary
Lindiwe Ntshalintshali
-Treasurer
Mandla Msibi
(edited by ZK)
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