‘No support for us’ claim Gauteng as some ditch Ramaphosa
Member of the ANC’s provincial executive committee in Gauteng Lebogang Maile says some delegates from the province, have resolved to support Zweli Mkhize in the contest for party president.
The former health minister is bidding to replace President Cyril Ramaphosa as party leader.
The change of heart from some in Gauteng came in the wake of Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha also switching sides and throwing his lot in with the Mkhize camp.
Mathabatha is vying for the position of national chairperson.
Maile said delegates decided to ditch Ramaphosa due to his failure to support their preferred candidates for deputy president (Paul Mashatile) and first deputy secretary-general (Nomvula Mokonyane).
Maile spoke to the media on the sidelines of the ANC’s national conference at Nasrec on Sunday.
He said more than 50% of branches in the province had already rejected Ramaphosa’s bid for a second term.
“Let me start by explaining that the Gauteng PEC made a pronouncement, not a nomination, before nomination processes started. We even met with the president to say ‘president, we want to work with you. However as Gauteng, we have got candidates for candidates for deputy president and deputy secretary-general that we support, Paul Mashatile and Nomvula Mokonyane’.
“We made the pronouncement, branches went to the meetings and they nominated. After nominating 47% of the branches nominated president Cyril Ramaphosa, 53% nominated Zweli Mkhize ,Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Lindiwe Sisulu, What it says is that more than 50% of the branches had rejected President Ramaphosa.
We went to our PGC, we affirmed the outcome of the nomination processes. But secondly, we have an important principle of saying those who support us, we will support them. You will see that provinces that are supporting President Ramaphosa are not supporting our candidates. Why on earth should we support anyone who is not supporting us? We don’t owe anyone support, our alliance is with the ANC and not with Individuals,”added Maile.
Maile also made it clear that delegates will not be dictated to by provincial leaders.
“Democracy is based on the principle of one man one vote, so conference is a conference of branches and delegates, so this delegates can’t be dictated to by any province. There is no province here, they must not lie to you that is homogeneous where everybody think alike, everybody vote alike. No, it doesn’t work like that. So you are going to have a situation where individuals based on messaging that are preached to them they will be able to make their determination and votes.”
Maile refused to rule out the possibility of a last minute change of heart as engagements continue.
“We lobby each other until the end. We are not enemies here, if this or that candidate win, it doesn’t mean that the world will fall apart.”
