W Cape chooses Ramaphosa
WESTERN Cape ANC branches have, by an overwhelming majority, nominated Cyril Ramaphosa to be the party’s next president.
Ramaphosa received 121 branch nominations, with Lindiwe Sisulu receiving 98 to be his deputy; current ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe received 128 nominations to be the party’s chairperson; Senzo Mchunu received 113; Zingiswa Losi received 60 nominations to be his deputy; and Paul Mashatile 127 to be treasurer-general.
The announcement of the results was greeted by cheers from Ramaphosa’s supporters, singing Sizojik’Izinto (We’ll turn things around), which has become a rallying call for the CR17 camp.
Yesterday, 189 of the ANC’s provincial branch delegates met at a Cape Town hotel to confirm branch nominations, and their positions on the party’s policy proposals released earlier this year.
Before the meeting could get under way, there was a fresh attempt on Saturday evening to suspend ANC Western Cape secretary Faiez Jacobs over his handling of the nominations process.
According to a member of the ANC’s provincial executive, there had been anger on Saturday night over branch delegates and the meeting had almost been delayed, as both factions sought to maximise their advantage.
The ANC provincial executive had been split between supporters of Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Ramaphosa.
Saturday’s wrangling comes a few months before the provincial conference, expected to be held by March, where a new ANC provincial executive will be elected.
A member of the Boland regional executive, away from the meeting venue, said there had been a move away from the “centre” and that there would be a “re-alignment” in the Western Cape.
“Faiez needs to understand that he must go, the man (Cheslyn Mostert) who put him there doesn’t want him any more and he has to go,” said the official.
Mostert, a businessman who previously worked in the office of Mantashe, wields influence in the Western Cape ANC without occupying any positions in the party.
Among those present yesterday were the party’s former provincial chairman and Western Cape premier, Ebrahim Rasool, former Hawks head Anwa Dramat, and Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, who is also a member of the national executive committee.
The Western Cape was the second provincial branch of the ANC to hold its provincial general council, after the Northern Cape last week.
Ramaphosa said while slate politics could not be completely eradicated, it had to be diluted.
“Branches will nominate, not strictly on the particular instruction of a slate. We’re hoping that delegates will be solid on the mandate of their particular branches.”
Meanwhile, religious leaders yesterday called on the government to fight poverty, unemployment, sexual abuse, and political killings that have plagued KwaZulu-Natal at the National Day of Prayer held at Soweto’s FNB Stadium.
Thousands of people from more than 30 faith-based organisations and churches from across the country held an all-day prayer session.
The Motsepe Foundation-sponsored event was aimed at seeking unity and a better South Africa.
Zion Christian Church leader Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane said the country was currently in turmoil because of violence, social ills and a sliding economic climate.
He said government leaders needed to take a strong stand in tackling political killings, the killing of police, and racism.
Rhema’s Pastor Ray McCauley said the country needed non-discriminatory economic transformation: “I pray for the economy to transform for everybody and not only for the few.”