Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, ANC Eastern Cape Provincial Chairman. Photo: Felix Dlangamandla/Gallo Images
- Eastern Cape PM Oscar Mabuyane to become ANCthe vice president of
- That is if President Cyril Ramaphosa has his way.
- But Paul Mashatile also has a good chance as he appears on the shortlist for the job on a second list of officials Ramaphosa wants.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s list has dropped Justice Minister Ronald Lamola in favor of Eastern Cape Prime Minister Oscar Mabuyane as the ANC vice-presidential candidate.
In a last-ditch attempt to crack the whip and fall in line, delegates to the ANC’s 55th national conference at Nasrec in Johannesburg have called for unity among the different factions.
During a meeting with delegates, Ramaphosa’s top lobbyist, Mondli Gungubele, said only one name was needed to mobilize support.
“There is a danger of going there with many names because we love them all, we can take them all because we love them all, but nothing will come of the results.
“If we make sure we have one, we have a chance to get what we love. I appeal, comrades, that not everything we’re saying here, not everyone supported everyone, but we understood the big picture,” he added.
ROLL-UP COVER | Voting for the ANC’s top seven will begin after lunch
“As a result of that and after we got engaged, especially Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and KZN. We love all those comrades, but we proposed to comrade Oscar [Mabuyane]. That is the result of a long commitment. We need you to support that name.”
The Ramaphosa camp failed to convince either Lamola or Mabuyane to stand down, opening the possibility of votes being split between them and clearing the way for Paul Mashatile to emerge victorious.
Mkhize’s camp mobilized its supporters outside the main conference room ahead of the vote to give them a line of march.
“This morning, we’re just here to greet you. We’re here for you,” Mkhize said, as his supporters chanted “Khabazela.”
“We are here to build a strong ANC. We are here to build a united ANC, bury factions and cabals,” he added, as the crowd responded: “Yes!”
The Mkhize camp expressed its support for Mashatile, the outgoing ANC treasurer general, for the post of ANC vice-chairman.
Mashatile will face Lamola and Mabuyane. Lamola only managed to secure his home province of Mpumalanga to back him and Mabuyane in the Eastern Cape.
On Sunday morning, the different factions were working in earnest to consolidate their support base and make delegate counts. Both parties conceded that the race was too close to call.
The CR22 campaign instructed its supporters to vote for Ramaphosa as president with Mabuyane as his deputy, Gwede Mantashe as national president and Fikile Mbalula as general secretary.
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Tina Joemat-Pettersson has been appointed as the first Deputy General Secretary, Maropene Ramagkope as the second Deputy General Secretary and Gwen Ramagkopa as General Treasurer.
In the Mkhize camp lineup, Mashatile is the Vice President, Stanley Matabatha is the National President, the Secretary General is Phumulo Masualle, and Nomvula Mokonyane is the first Deputy Secretary General.
Ronalda Nolumanga takes the place of the second deputy secretary general, and Mwzandile Masina is running for treasurer.
At the same time, there seems to be an effort to bring both factions together in a “mixed” leadership alignment.
In one of the lists circulating among the delegates, the Ramaphosa lineup has Mashatile as Vice President, Matabatha as National President, Mdumiseni Ntuli as Secretary General, Mokonyane as First Assistant Secretary General, Nolumango as Second Assistant Secretary General and Benjani Chauke as Treasurer. general.
The outgoing vice president, David Mabuza, was nominated from the floor, but declined to run again.
