- David Mabuza is ready to make way for Paul Mashatile as vice president of the country.
- Mabuza’s office confirmed that he told President Cyril Ramaphosa of his intention to resign.
- Mashatile will have to be sworn in as an MP before becoming Vice President.
Vice President David Mabuza has informed President Cyril Ramaphosa of his intention to resign.
Mabuza cited the “importance of aligning party leadership roles with government responsibilities” as part of his motivating factor in stepping aside newly elected ANC vice-chairman Paul Mashatile.
News24 understands that Mabuza also cited his health problems, which led him to seek medical attention in Russia, as another consideration.
As such, it is in the best interest of the party that he will allow Mashatile to take over.
Following engagements with President Cyril Ramaphosa, Mabuza’s office told News24 that the latter believed it was important to have the same person as a surrogate in party and state.
Speaking to News24 on Friday, Mabuza’s office said: “While it is a fact that the president is silent on any changes to the executive, the vice president, in the context of ANC leadership changes, has considered it to be It is important to align party leadership roles with government responsibilities.
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Mabuza’s office confirmed that he had had engagements with Ramaphosa and informed him of his intention to resign.
Mabuza’s office said: “He has committed the president to his intention to resign to foster leadership synergies and cohesion, both in the party and in the state. The vice president is awaiting a decision to that effect.”
This effectively opens the door for Mashatile to become the country’s next vice president.
News24 understands that Mabuza was prepared to step aside when he rejected the ANC’s vice-presidential nomination at the party’s national election conference in December.
Despite this willingness to lead the way, sources close to the negotiations have told News24 that the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, the North West and Limpopo have been insisting that the party “needs leadership to move the country forward”.
A member of the national executive committee (NEC) said: “As was the case in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, newly elected leaders must be allowed to carry the party forward and communicate what they will do for the citizens after 2024, and not have leadership speak up about what they’ve done with their time in power.”
Pablo Mashatile.
Rooster Images
While some in senior leadership believe he still has a lot to offer, it appears that Mabuza will leave Union Buildings and return to Mpumalanga. While some hope he doesn’t get lost in politics, he could become an international statesman, called upon to engage nations in conflict, particularly on the continent.
However, some in the NEC believe that based on his character, Mabuza may disappear into obscurity and choose to spend his retirement out of sight.
Amid calls for Mabuza to be allowed to serve out his term, Mashatile is said to have been adamant that he was not willing to wait that long; he wanted to take over state duties immediately.
Explained: What needs to happen before Mashatile can become Vice President of the country
Although the Constitution allows the president to have two members of his cabinet who are not deputies, the vice president must be a deputy;
A party can only bring in new members (who are not yet MPs) if there are vacancies in the seats the party won in the elections;
If there are no vacancies, this would mean that sitting MPs would have to resign;
Seats are filled according to the party list. If the vacant position was held by someone on the party’s national list, the new member must be next on the national list. If the person vacating the position was from a provincial list, the replacement members must be the next on the list from that province;
In accordance with Annex 1(A) of the Electoral Law, parties can review their lists one year after the allocation of seats. However, this can only be done once a year and cannot replace more than a quarter of the names on the original lists. The order of the lists can be rearranged;
The list must then be submitted to Parliament, and the Secretary of Parliament must, within 10 days of receipt of the list, publish it;
It means that, in order for Paul Mashatile to become Vice President, the following must happen:
The ANC must modify the applicable list to place it in the next available slot;
The list must be submitted to Parliament, which must publish it, and an MP must vacate his seat (to make way for Mashatile); Y
Mashatile must be sworn in as an MP, clearing the way for President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint Mashatile as his deputy: Jan Gerber
Mashatile is believed to have one eye on the presidency, as the ANC vice-presidential race at the national elective conference was seen as a succession race, with Ramaphosa serving his last term.
In order for Mashatile to become Vice President, he must be sworn in as an MP, which clears the way for Ramaphosa to appoint him as his deputy. However, several MPs appear to be in the dark about the changes in their group in Parliament.
The ANC MPs, speaking to News24 on condition of anonymity, said no changes have been announced so far.
“We have not heard anything. We know that the national executive committee is meeting this weekend and, hopefully, the charges and new lists will be ordered. The issue of the vice president is an important issue, which will also be discussed,” he said. said the deputy.
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Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Ekurhuleni on the sidelines of the NEC meeting on Friday, ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula said the party was going to take a different approach on who will speak for him.
“We are going to have ANC spokespersons,” Mbalula said.
He added that the name Mahlengi Bhengu was one of the names that had been proposed and would be adopted by the ANC.
Mbalula was responding to reports that the party had appointed Bhengu, a former Youth League leader and board member of the ANC’s OR Tambo Leadership School, as its spokesperson.
