ORT RTT endorses NDZ campaign

THE ANC Youth League in O R Tambo has broken ranks with its provincial bosses by endorsing Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as the preferred next ANC president.

The provincial task team (PTT) has publicly announced its support for Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to succeed President Jacob Zuma as party leader when the governing party elects new leaders in Nasrec, Johannesburg, from December 16 to 20.

OR Tambo regional task team (RTT) convener Mzuxolile Hlazo said the youth structure distanced itself from utterances by PTT convener Mziwonke Ndabeni over the weekend.

The Daily Dispatch reported yesterday that Ndabeni had endorsed Ramaphosa to occupy the top office at Luthuli House while he was addressing ANC supporters at a rally in Bhisho on Sunday.

“The O R Tambo RTT wants to reaffirm its support for comrade Nkosazana Dlaminito be the next president of the ANC in December 2017 and the next president of the country in 2019. Comrade Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is a tried and tested comrade whom we believe will be able to push for radical economic transformation,” Hlazo said.

He said the former AU chairwoman was one of the most senior cabinet ministers since 1994 and she worked well with all the presidents. He also said the league distanced itself from pronouncements made by the Oscar Mabuyane-led provincial executive committee [PEC] to support Ramaphosa as the next ANC president.

“The ANCYL O R Tambo region calls upon all branches of the ANC in the province to reject the call made by the disputed ANC PEC in trying to impose comrade Cyril Ramaphosa as the next president of the ANC.

“[The ANCYL RTT in] O R Tambo is still waiting for the re-run of the provincial conference and as such the only recognised leadership of the ANC in the province is the one led by comrade Phumulo Masualle as provincial chairman with Oscar Mabuyane as secretary,” Hlazo said.

He called on ANC members to go to branch general meetings and nominate Dlamini-Zuma as the next ANC president.

On Sunday, Ndabeni called for Masualle to be replaced by Mabuyane as the premier, saying “there is only one centre of power and comrade Mabuyane must take his rightful place and lead the provincial government”.

However, while on the campaign trail for the chairmanship, Mabuyane promised that Masualle would finish his term as the province’s first citizen if he emerged victorious. —