Limpopo public works MEC Nkakareng Rakgoale’s name has been thrown into the ring to replace outgoing premier Stan Mathabatha as the province’s first female premier.
This if the provincial executive committee (PEC) succumbs to public and political pressure to disqualify its number one preferred candidate Florence Radzilani, who was implicated in the VBS looting scandal.
Although Radzilani has not been criminally charged for her alleged role in the looting of VBS, Cosatu and the SACP are calling for her to step aside until she clears her name in the matter, which has become an albatross around her neck.
As a result of the crescendo, several PEC members, have thrown Rakgoale’s name in the hat as their second preferred candidate in the event Radzilani is dragooned to step aside.
Initially, health MEC Poppy Ramathuba was touted as their second choice but the tables turned against her after she refused to toe the province’s line to support ANC heavyweight Zweli Mkhize’s presidential campaign to unseat party president Cyril Ramaphosa at the governing party’s elective conference in December last year.
“Our preferred candidates are Florence Radzilani, Nkakareng Rakgoale and human settlement MEC and provincial secretary Basikopo Makamu,” said an ANC leader, who did not want to be named because he is not allowed to speak to the media.
The leader said their initial plan was to submit Radzilani and two male names but it changed after ANC alliance partners warned about political and reputational risks of parachuting candidates marred by the VBS scandal.
The reshuffling of political chairs in the province is brought about by the expected retirement of Premier Stan Mathabatha, after serving two terms as head of the provincial legislature.
Additionally, some names that are a subject to discussion include the ANC national executive committee member Polly Boshielo, whom sources indicate enjoys the support of Cosatu and the SACP.
The name of education MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya is understood to also be enjoying support in some quarters.
ANC insiders said Boshielo made it into the national executive committee on the ticket of taking opposing sides to Msiza and Mathabatha, who fired her as education MEC and replaced her with Lerule-Ramakhanya.
Limpopo ANC spokesperson Jimmy Machaka said Mathabatha would no longer be eligible to stand for a third term as premier. Machaka said processes to identify his successor were yet to kick off, adding that it would follow after branch members conclude nominations. The next premier candidate would come from the list of names nominated by branches, he said.
“The frontrunners will be those names recommended by the provincial executive committee extended meeting to the national leadership of the ANC. Therefore, I am unable to verify either of those names.”
Machaka said it was correct that the ANC’s alliance partners in the province were consistent against ANC leaders implicated in the VBS scandal.
He said the ANC in Limpopo agreed that those implicated should voluntarily clear their names and that municipalities that suffered the loss should recover the funds.
He said Radzilani was merely mentioned in the “Great Heist Report” into the VBS affairs. “She was not charged by law enforcement agencies. The ANC integrity commission took a decision for her to step aside, but later the national executive committee decided that she should return to office”.
He said in the past there were some concerns that the Limpopo ANC had not dealt with the VBS leaders fully.
“If there is still such issue we shall be guided by national leadership,” he said.
