The campaign threaten to bring to an end regional leader Muzi Chirwa’s rule.
Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane is intensifying her ANC campaign to be elected provincial leader, with a new move into the Gert Sibande region.
Her campaign in the region, which wants Mkhondo mayor Vusi ‘Sgemegeme’ Motha to take over as regional chairman and Chrissiesmeer ANC leader Khulani Nhlabathi as the regional secretary, is threatening to get rid of regional leader Muzi Chirwa’s rule, accusing him of failing to unite the region and “continue to shatter it”.
The Tsipane campaigns in Gert Sibande, which over the weekend of 18 and 19 January 2020 saw scores of branch leaders being convened in halls and “engaging” on Tsipane to take over as provincial ANC chairwoman, is the groundwork of Ermelo strongman and PEC member Sibusiso ‘The Great’ Sgudla, who is deputy president DD Mabuza’s most important lieutenant in that region.
On Saturday 18 January 2020, Mkhondo branches gathered at the Mkhondo town hall to declare they will support Tsipane at the 13th provincial congress, Sgemegeme for regional chair and Nhlabathi for regional secretary, saying it was now time for women and those who graduated from ANCYL structures to come lead the ANC.
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Gert Sibande and eHlanzeni will convene a regional congress once national secretary Ace Magashule has signed off on the branch audit report.
The Mkhondo town hall meeting on Saturday was addressed by ANC spokesperson Sasekani Manzini, one of Tsipane’s key lobbyists in Mpumalanga and saw other leaders like legislature speaker Busi Shiba, Nhlabathi and Sgemegeme also addressing, shooting down those who were busy dividing the region.
But the major battle took place at the Grasslands lodge in Ermelo where branch leaders from most of the 7 Gert Sibande sub-regions gathered to wage the fight against Chirwa.
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It was addressed by provincial treasurer Vusi Shongwe as a keynote speaker and other influential leaders like SANCO national secretary Mike Soko, eHlanzeni controversial leader Ngrai Ngwenya and Secunda’s Gracious Shabangu, REC member Thembelihle Nkosi and PEC member Pat Ngomane also addressed the gathering.
The Great chaired the meeting and in his address Shongwe slammed Chirwa and said when he used to be Gert Sibande chairman the region was united.
“Not this thing that we are seeing today,” adding he was “disappointed at the wrecking of this region” by self-centred leaders who don’t care about principle.
He said as Gert Sibande region they will support Tsipane as provincial chairwoman and believed in her leadership as a woman coming to unite the Mpumalanga ANC and take it to people.
(edited by ZK)
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