The Gauteng African National Congress (ANC) provincial executive committee (PEC) in Gauteng has endorsed Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term, with party treasurer-general Paul Mashatile as his deputy.
Ramaphosa also has the support of the Limpopo PEC to continue with the party’s project of renewal.
“After frank and robust deliberations on the road map towards the national conference, the policy perspective and leadership question, the ANC in Gauteng resolved to support the following leadership collective for the top 6 positions: The current president Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa for a second term as Presdient of the ANC, to continue with the ANC programme of organisational unity and renewal,” said ANC Gauteng in a statement.
“The PEC further resolved that it will support our longerst serving Gauteng provincial chairperson and current ANC TG Paul Mashatile, as the deputy president of the ANC. Mashatile is a towering revolutionary with unquestionable revolutionary morality and impeccable credentials.”
The PEC also resolved to support the current ANC Limpopo chairperson Chupu Stanley Mathabatha for national chairperson of the ANC and former Gauteng deputy and current NEC member Nomvula Mokonyane for the position of ANC deputy secretary-general.
“Against this background, the PEC will engage and influence all structures, particularly branches of the ANC as the basic unit, the nucleus and the lifeline of the ANC on its preferred leadership.”
Mashatile will be going up against Ronald Lamola for deputy president, after the latter was recently endorsed by the Mpumalanga PEC.
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Lamola has been pushing for a generational mix in the party’s top six leadership for the party to be able to compete with the country’s biggest opposition parties that are led by younger people.
“There must be generational mix in the ANC structures, from the top 6, the NEC, the provinces, regions and branches. The two biggest opposition parties in the country are led by youthful people, so the ANC has to have an open and comradely discussion about how to infuse that youthful generation so that it can renew leadership,” said Lamola in an interview with the SABC.
Last month, he criticised Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema, who had said the EFF was open to entering into a coalition agreement with the ANC after the 2024 general elections.
Malema, however, said the red berets would prefer Mashatile to lead the governing party.
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