Nkangala ANC won’t support “parachuted” candidates

The leaders are declaring a war against Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane.

The ANC in the Nkangala region is not going to support anyone who comes from nowhere and wants to be “parachuted” to lead the province, regional secretary Leah Khoza has told scores of applauding comrades last Thursday.

The outspoken Khoza said the ANC constitution was clear that whoever that wants to lead it must first be active in a branch and serve in its executive committee before being elevated to a region and then province.

Khoza is opposed to Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane’s bid to get elected Mpumalanga ANC chairperson and charges that Tsipane is used by men and was elevated by them to her position, to what she said was her “grand entrance” to the position of Premier.

Last year September, Khoza told scores of women in eMalahleni’s Lynnville hall they would fight her “grand entrance” to power, because it occurred at the expense of the battle to end patriarchy in South Africa – where men “are putting women into positions of power” at the expense of other capable women in the struggle.

ALSO RELATED: Muzi Chirwa believes positions don’t really matter in ANC battles, only uniting warring forces matters 

She said “all of a sudden there is a grand entrance of women” in positions of power.

Last Thursday 2 January 2020, the firebrand Khoza took to the stage while regional leader Speedy Mashilo was celebrating his 55th birthday in KwaMhlanga and said as a region they will not support “parachuted” candidates at the ANC’s upcoming provincial conference.

Khoza is an ally of acting provincial secretary Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, one of Tsipane’s fiercest opponents in the Mpumalanga province, and who is instrumental in acting chairman Mandla Ndlovu’s campaign where she is listed as deputy secretary and Gert Sibande leader Muzi Chirwa as the secretary.

They also want Mashilo to be the deputy provincial chairman and Pienaar strongman Mandla Msibi as treasurer.

Tsipane is deputy president DD Mabuza’s favoured candidate for the position of ANC provincial chairperson and was handpicked by him in February 2018 as his successor for the position of Mpumalanga Premier when President Cyril Ramaphosa made him the country’s deputy president.

SEE ALSO: Man accusing Refilwe Tsipane of being Mabuza’s girlfriend on the run – warrant of arrest issued

Khoza said it was up to branches now to go to conference, renew and also “bring back the integrity of the ANC”.

“When we go to conference comrades,” Khoza said to the scores who also included Gert Sibande leaders. “We must make sure that we bring back the integrity of the ANC. That conference must be a watershed conference that should bring back the ANC that we know”.

“We want the ANC that allows branches to debate leadership and agree upon it. No parachuting,” she said to loud cheers.

“We won’t allow parachuting in 2020. Not now when we want our ANC back. If you feel you have an ego to lead come to the branch and we will gladly accept and work with you,” she said to thunderous applause.

The Nkangala region is divided between supporters of Tsipane and chairman Mashilo – and Khoza is an instrumental figure in that region and in Mashilo’s campaign to go lead the province as is former ANCYL regional leader Mduduzi ‘Mswati’ Nkosi.

The campaign for Ndlovu to lead and take the Mpumalanga ANC away from “Mabuza’s remote-control” is pumped up by the ANCYL in Gert Sibande and Bohlabela while the ANCYL in Nkangala is divided into groups, one for Tsipane led by regional secretary Thabang Mathebula and the other led chairman Bobo Mtshweni and which wants Ndlovu and Chirwa to lead.

(edited by ZK)

Send tip-offs to editor@013.co.za