In the race for the powerful position of premier in various provinces, ANC national officials will interview candidates from the provinces today and tomorrow.
As is tradition, the ANC provinces have forwarded a short-list of three names, from whom the national officials will pick one after an interview process.
Premier Panyaza Lesufi is reportedly the favourite to retake the position in Gauteng, provided the ANC can form a coalition with the EFF, IFP,and PA.
Lesufi, for compliance purposes, will be interviewed alongside deputy provincial secretary Tasneem Motara and provincial treasurer Morakane Mosupyoe.
“But we are clear and are all in agreement within the PEC. Comrade Panyaza is our preferred candidate, but of course we had to send three names because those are the rules, but there is no contestation,” said our deepthroat within the PEC.
The PEC is counting on their preferred coalition partners in the EFF, PA and IFP to find favour with Luthuli House. The arrangement could see the ANC reserve two MEC portfolios for the coalition partners, as well as four oversight committee chairperson posts in the provincial legislature.
These are the same parties that the ANC is already working with in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni’s Gauteng metros.
“Therefore, logic follows that this is a natural fit at the provincial level as well. After all, we already have a rapport in two big metros, and it will be easier to elevate our partnership to the provincial level.”
Mpumalanga, the province where the sun rises, has fielded two women (current Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane and Cathy Dlamini), as well as the ANC’s provincial chairperson, Mandla Ndlovu. Those in the know within the ANC top brass in the province said Mtshweni was in pole position to return, owing to experience as well as Rule 10.3 on gender parity.
In Eastern Cape, incumbent Oscar Mabuyane is also expected to return as the province’s number one citizen. And luckily for him, he does not rely on anyone’s assistance after the ANC won the province with an outright majority.
Mabuyane is competing with his deputy Helen Sauls-August and Sipokazi Mani-Lusithi, but is said to be a shoo-in on the job for continuity purposes and unity of purpose by the PEC. “UDiya uyabuya (Mabuyane is coming back), clean. There is no doubt about it, but let us allow the interview process to unfold,” said a PEC member.
Up north in Limpopo, the province nominated three candidates from the three tribes of the province: VhaVenda, Va-Tsonga, and Bapedi. According to leadership in the province, this was done to level the playing field and avoid finger-pointing that one tribe is more dominant than others, which has tended to be the dominant narrative.
Limpopo’s three candidates are current health MEC Phophi Ramathuba, MEC for public works Basikopo Makamu, and ANC provincial treasurer Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana.
“After the interview, no one can complain because everyone would have been represented, so the tribal tensions will be quelled,” said a senior leader in the province.
Another leader said: “Phophi (Ramathuba) has done well as MEC, but in ANC circles she is a divisive figure. That is where Basikopo comes in; he is more of a unifying figure and senior among the provincial officials, but the decision is in the hands of national officials to decide.”
In the North West, Lizzy Mokau became the surprise candidate among the top three names nominated for premier, garnering 33 votes during the extended PEC meeting this week, including the ANC alliance partners Cosatu and SACP.
PEC insiders told Sunday World that Mokau’s lack of experience in government in a strategic position like chief director or higher, or even as a councillor, raised suspicions that she could have been fielded as a token premier.
Mokau is the leader of the trade union Nehawu in the province.
Completing the ANC North West’s top three candidates is frontrunner Susan Dantjie, also a former speaker of the provincial legislature, who got 44 votes, followed by deputy ANC provincial chairperson Lazzy Mokgosi, who got 43 votes.
Provincial ANC chairperson Nono Maloyi declined nomination, and “he did not give reasons”.
In Free State, incumbent Mxolisi Dukwana will go head to head with Dibolelo Mahlatsi and Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae.
“Dukwana will emerge because he did not serve a full term yet and he is part of the ANC’s dominant faction,” said an ANC insider.
Zamani Saul, Fufe Makatong, and Limakatso Koloi will compete for the premiership in Northern Cape if the ANC returns to power after falling short of the outright majority shred hold.
In Western Cape, the ANC will not bother, as the DA has managed to retain the province on its own.
