Moves are afoot to catapult Gauteng premier David Makhura to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet to make way for newly elected provincial chairperson Panyaza Lesufi to become premier of the country’s economic hub and the face of the ANC campaign for 2024.
Sunday World has established that a provincial cabinet reshuffle is also set to happen anytime from this week, which will see the interests of the two dominant factions led by Lesufi, who is currently Gauteng education MEC, and human settlements MEC Lebogang Maile, both
catered for in the run-up to the ANC’s December elective conference.
Makhura made way for Lesufi as ANC provincial chairperson last month. Lesufi pipped Maile to the top post in a hotly contested election that saw Maile’s ally TK Nciza elected to the powerful secretary position.
Makhura has been a dominant feature in provincial politics for more than two decades, having served as secretary, deputy chairperson and chairperson. He was elected premier in 2014.
Although there was no consensus on the timing of Makhura leaving office following the party’s provincial conference in June, during which the premier failed to make it into the party’s provincial executive committee (PEC), Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s case has triggered the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle by Ramaphosa.
It is expected Makhura will be promoted to cabinet, paving the way for a smooth transition for Lesufi to be premier.
It has emerged that the behind-the-scenes talks between the so-called “Panya Panya” and “Adiwele” factions regarding Makhura’s future have
taken an interesting turn following a criminal complaint against Godongwana.
There are fears that hounding Makhura out of office could deepen divisions and hamper the party’s ability to save Gauteng from being won by an opposition coalition in 2024.
A source close to Makhura said there was consensus between the two factions that Makhura should first be co-opted into the ANC PEC and positioned to contest for the position of the governing party’s secretary-general.
“The Godongwana saga adds a dynamic for the president to accommodate Makhura in cabinet. Our view was that he should continue until December. But there is also a strong view that Panya (Lesufi) should be given enough time to campaign (for the 2024 elections),” the leader said.
The horse trading between the two groups could see the axing of Parks Tau, MEC for economic development, agriculture, environment, and rural development, and public transport and roads infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo.
“Parks and Mamabolo are not in the PEC. They are vulnerable,” the source said.
It is believed that at the heart of the fallout between Makhura and Maile is the premier’s referral to the Special Investigating Unit of a R26-million contract awarded to Enviro Mobi in 2017 by the Gauteng environment, agriculture and rural development department, at the time Maile was the MEC.
Enviro Mobi – in which ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe is a former director – was allegedly paid for the acquisition of 200 “kariki motorbikes” for waste management.
A source linked to the Adiwele grouping said Makhura had to fall on his sword.
“Makhura must go. He is not in the PEC. Where is he going to get the mandate to lead government? KZN gave leadership on this matter,” the leader said.
The two groups have also agreed to work together to push for their common interest, which will see their two senior leaders promoted to the ANC top six leadership.
While those aligned to Lesufi want Makhura to be secretary-general, Maile’s supporters, who have a significant support in the ANC Gauteng PEC, want the governing party’s treasurer-general, Paul Mashatile, to become Ramaphosa’s deputy in December.
Mashatile has publicly stated that he will avail himself for the position of the ANC deputy president should branches nominate him. He is believed to have been running a campaign to replace David Mabuza as the country’s second-in-command. Nominations for the election of ANC leaders starts next month.
There are concerns that the way the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has historically handled the appointments of premiers is divisive and has led to the party’s electoral losses and increase in support for the Inkatha Freedom Party.
Following his failure to return to his chairmanship of ANC in KZN, Sihle Zikalala was forced to resign as premier.
Supporters of Zikalala had themselves pushed former KZN premier Senzo Mchunu out of office to pave way for Zikalala.
A source close to Ramaphosa said Lesufi should be given sufficient time to rescue Gauteng from falling into the hands of opposition parties.
“(The year) 2024 is about saving Gauteng, not about Limpopo or other provinces. Panyaza is good with public relations,” the source said.
However, Sunday World reported last week that trade union federation Cosatu has warned its members to prepare to be led by coalition governments in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Northern Cape after the general elections.
This is contained in a confidential state of the organisation report prepared for the union federation’s congress next month.
“If the ANC is to win and retain power in the 2024 elections, nationally and provincially, then it needs to decisively deal with corruption, rebuild the state, end load shedding, fix embattled SOEs (state-owned entities), spur the economy and reduce unemployment,” the
report stated.
The ANC barely won Gauteng in the 2019 general elections, with its support in the province declining to 50.19% from 53.59% in 2014.
The party suffered further losses in last year’s local government elections, losing control of Ekurhuleni, City of Johannesburg and Tshwane.
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