ANC EC leadership battle heats up as Masualle joins in the fray

WITH the ANC in the Eastern Cape set to elect new leaders next month, provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle yesterday urged party members in Stutterheim to “not fix what is not broken”.

This could be seen as him campaigning for a third term as the governing party’s provincial boss as he is expected to face fierce competition from provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane at the elective conference.

Masualle was addressing a packed to capacity cadres forum at Mlungisi Community Commercial Park.

The gathering was organised by the Amathole region – a known Masualle supporter.

Masualle – who had previously said he would stand for a third term if branches nominated him – stopped short of saying he was ready for a third term.

“There is an English statement that says ‘if ain’t broke why fix it?’

“When something is not broken it does not need to be fixed, but implied in this statement is that something that needs to be fixed is something that is broken.

“So the branches must be helped to learn to see when something is broken it needs to be fixed but something that does not need to be fixed must not be fixed,” he said.

“That is our job when we go back to the branches so that we are able to give good leadership before we are ready for the provincial conference.”

The stakes are high in the race for the ANC provincial chairmanship, as whoever is elected into the top position will most likely become Eastern Cape premier too if the party retains control of the province in the 2019 election.

Provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane is expected to be Masualle’s toughest opponent, although there are other leaders likely to throw their hats into the ring.

Amathole secretary Teris Ntutu called for discipline when the crowd sang songs denouncing the “Ngcobo boy”, meaning Mabuyane.

Masualle also spoke out against the influence the Gupta family has on the government, saying the matter needed to be resolved internally.

Among those who attended were social development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi, ANC provincial spokesman Mlibo Qoboshiyane, Amathole mayor Nomfusi Winnie Nxawe, BCM mayor Xola Pakati and Mnquma mayor Thobeka Bikitsha. — mamelagdispatch.co.za