The ANC in Gauteng has finally recalled premier David Makhura, who is set to be replaced by education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, as the party prepares to mount a fight to save Gauteng in the 2024 provincial and national elections.
The party’s provincial executive committee (PEC) has assigned Lesufi and the organisation’s provincial secretary Thembinkosi “TK” Nciza, to discuss the date on which Makhura is going to resign.
This comes after weeks of behind-the-scenes talks on Makhura’s exit following the election of Lesufi as provincial chairman in June, when he triumphed over Lebogang Maile.
While there was consensus among both camps that Lesufi should be the face of the ANC campaign in Gauteng, there had been disagreement on the timing of Makhura’s departure from the helm of the provincial cabinet.
It emerged that Makhura’s statements this week on subjecting his MECs to polygraph test was the last straw.
The Gauteng provincial cabinet has been going through lifestyle audits to check their income against their assets. On Wednesday, Makhura announced that the final part of the audits would be polygraph tests, which he considered the “gold standard” of lifestyle audits. But this did not sit well with some in the ANC in the province, who felt that he was treating his executive like criminals. Makhura earlier noted there no illicit activity was found during previous assessments.
On Friday, a special meeting of the PEC was called, which decided it was time to discuss the nuts and bolts of Makhura’s departure. A Gauteng insider close to the developments said: “It was felt that he is just doing unnecessary things. Remember he is not on the PEC.
“The feeling was that he should have consulted the PEC on this lie detector thing. Why do you need a lifestyle audit and a lie detector test?”
However, a PEC member said Lesufi and Nciza still had to report back to the leadership structure on the outcomes of their engagement with Makhura. The PEC would then discuss three candidates to replace Makhura, and recommend to the ANC’s top six national officials – a process that could go well beyond Wednesday.
“The premier is not refusing to leave. He is waiting for the ANC processes. They have been engaging for the last month.”
Sunday World has reported how Maile’s supporters have been impatient with Makhura after his time as provincial chairman ended in June.
It was expected that Lesufi and Nciza would meet with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s representatives to discuss how Makhura would be accommodated in the national executive – a discussion that could lead to a cabinet reshuffle.
Lesufi’s leadership has hit the ground running and aims to reclaim the metros of Gauteng.
This week, the ANC in Johannesburg clubbed with opposition parties – including the EFF, Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), and the African Independent Congress (AIC) to oust DA speaker Vasco da Gama.
The PAC and AIC sponsored the motion to remove Da Gama.
Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse’s future hangs in the balance as the ANC pushes for her to be replaced by the party’s regional leader Dada Morero.
It was also expected that the ANC would work with other parties to challenge the DA mayors of Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, Randall Williams and Tania Campbell.
AIC leader in Gauteng Tony Ngodwana said it would support Phalatse’s ouster.
“In Tshwane we did support the motion of no confidence against the mayor, and we also supported the motion of no confidence against Da Gama.
“We also support the motion of no confidence against Mpho Phalatse. This also includes supporting such motions against the speaker and the mayor of Ekurhuleni.”
PAC Gauteng secretary Nkrumah Kgagudi echoed Ngodwana’s sentiments on removing DA mayors and speakers.
“DA is an anti-African and an enemy of labouring African workers. It therefore follows logic that the DA mayor must fall having noted her DA comprador bourgeoisie policy attitude.”
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here
