Mashatile: ANC needs leadership able to serve the whole of SA
The African National Congress (ANC) chairperson in Gauteng Paul Mashatile has called on members to elect leaders that will serve the whole of South Africa.
Mashatile was speaking on the opening day of the Gauteng provincial general council.
The province is expected to announce its preferred candidate to succeed President Jacob Zuma at this month's national conference.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to get the nod.
Mashatile said ANC members need carefully weigh their options ahead of the conference.
"When we consider electing leaders to lead this organisation we really need to be able to elect a leadership collective that will be able to win the confidence of South Africans. Not just members of the ANC. The ANC is not there just to lead itself and its members. It is there to lead this country.
"So when we elect leadership it has to be a collective that will win the confidence of South Africans. Leaders who can work in a collective, not in groups or factions. Leaders who lead without fear or favour. Because this has been one of the problems of our organisation where, once leaders are elected, they do things to favour those who supported them at the conference."
Several of the ANC's provincial structures are holding provincial general councils this weekend.
Mpumalanga and North West have chosen Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as their presidential candidate.
In Mpumalanga, most branches chose to abstain from voting, while sharp divisions were apparent in North West between supporters of Dlamini-Zuma and those favoring deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa.
Limpopo is due to hold its provincial general council on Monday.