Divisions that played out in some provinces regarding the ANC top six structure, to be elected on Saturday, might work in Cyril Ramaphosa’s favour as he goes head to head with Zweli Mkhize for the presidential position.
KwaZulu-Natal, the ANC’s biggest province in terms of membership, was on Thursday still “open for lobbying” on the deputy president position.
Insiders say the province was not united on the matter.
“We are open to be persuaded regarding the position of the deputy president,” said Khulani Hadebe, a branch delegate from the Musa Dladla region in KZN.
The Eastern Cape ANC’s chair and a deputy president hopeful, Oscar Mabuyane, was still upbeat on Thursday about the contest he faces against Paul Mashatile and maybe Ronald Lamola.
Insiders say branches in KZN and Limpopo rejected Mashatile as deputy president “but with no unity on who should be the deputy president. This is despite Mashatile getting the most nominations for the position”.
Gauteng has publicly pronounced it would support Mashatile as deputy president.
Mabuyane asked Eastern Cape delegates, close to 700 of them, to be “psychologically, mentally and physically fit and put up a fight to save the ANC”.
“Our task is to make sure we come out united after this conference.
“Our ultimate goal is to assemble a collective leadership of the ANC.
“We are keen on a discussion that talks about a consensus leadership, but this must be done through unity of purpose.”
On day one of the conference on Friday, Ramaphosa is expected to table his political report in the morning, followed by deputy president David Mabuza’s organisational report in the afternoon.
In the evening, treasurer general Mashatile presents the financial report.
Later, in a closed session, delegates will discuss constitutional amendments.
To wrap up the evening, the party’s electoral committee will unveil additional nominations for president, national chair, secretary-general and general-treasurer.
It remains to be seen who will get the nod, but leaders such as tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Cogta minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma raised their hands for the presidential race though they did not make the cut when electoral committee chair Kgalema Motlanthe announced the nominees.
There has been an uproar over the limited number of women in the top six nominations.
In what is expected to be a defining moment of the conference, delegates on Saturday morning will vote for the positions of the top six, with results expected later in the day.
The electoral committee is scheduled to announce the results of the first vote in the evening.
On Sunday morning, voting for NEC members will commence and last the better part of the day with the announcement expected on Tuesday.
Commenting on expectations surrounding Ramaphosa’s political report, policy analyst and human rights activist Nkosikhulule Nyembezi said most people looked forward to hearing a positive report on how strong the ANC had become.
“And how effective it has become as part of an ANC-SACP-Cosatu alliance that is strong, united and cohesive.
“Also how advanced tech efforts are to unite the former combatants of Umkhonto we Sizwe in uniting MKMVA and the MK National Council as a priority of the outgoing leadership.”
Nyembezi said many people also looked forward to hearing a positive report on overcoming the challenges to act against corruption, collusion and other economic crimes prevalent in the public and private sector, in light of the commitment to investigate corruption and accounting irregularities that has caused turmoil in markets and wiped billions off the investments of ordinary South Africans.
“Most will also look forward to hearing a positive report on the progress of the work of the integrity commission in rooting out corrupt individuals and practices in the ANC structures and the ANC-led government.”
Nyembezi said generally the conference was expected to prove to South Africans that it was prepared to put the interests of the country first.
“The ANC must elect leaders with integrity and it must demonstrate unity by doing away with slates and factionalism.
“So far nominated leaders are supported by factions and there is no candidate who demonstrates a unified vision for the party.
“If victory for any elected leaders is celebrated, it means the ANC has been winnowed down to a shape acceptable to the rapacious interests it intends to challenge.
“That victory is then questionable. Is it a victory at all or a climb on to a winner’s podium built on a staircase of defeats?”
DispatchLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.