As ANC branches cast their vote

qualifying branches successfully held their BGMs, with 176 nominating Ramaphosa and 22 Dlamini-Zuma.

The “CR17” stronghold in Gauteng is the West Rand, with mining towns such as Carletonville and Westonaria. A total of 67 ANC branches there held their BGMs, with 66 nominating Ramaphosa and only one backing Dlamini-Zuma.

In Ekurhuleni, there was a revolt by branches that nominated Ramaphosa, despite the REC declaring in August that it would support Dlamini-Zuma. Of the 29 branches that successfully held their BGMs, 20 went against the REC’s recommendation and endorsed Ramaphosa.

Tshwane is the only region that has nominated Mkhize for ANC president, with one branch backing him. One other branch nominated Dlamini-Zuma and the remaining 42 that met nominated Ramaphosa.

Limpopo

A total of 205 branches in Limpopo convened BGMs, of which 177 nominated Ramaphosa and 28 Dlamini-Zuma.

Ramaphosa’s strongholds are in the Vhembe region, which houses his hometown of Thohoyandou, as well as the Sekhukhune region, where Premier Stanley Mathabatha is from.

Seventy-two BGMs were held in Vhembe, where 70 nominated Ramaphosa and two DlaminiZuma. In Sekhukhune, 51 branches nominated Ramaphosa and seven Dlamini-Zuma.

Dlamini-Zuma made inroads in the Mopani region, where 19 of the region’s branches nominated her, the highest show of support in the province so far. Her nominations still fell short of the 40 Ramaphosa received in the same area.

A Dlamini-Zuma lobbyist in the province said that Ramaphosa’s campaign in Limpopo was too strong to be rivalled. “Anyone who thinks there will be any chance for Dlamini-Zuma here is no different to someone who goes to hot Thohoyandou and thinks they can put an ice cream there and it won’t melt,” the lobbyist said.

North West

In the North West, of the 347 eligible branches in the province, fewer than 25% of the branches have held their BGMs. So far, 23 branches across the province have nominated Ramaphosa and 14 have backed Dlamini-Zuma.

In the Dr Kenneth Kaunda region, former provincial chairperson China Dodovu said only six out of a possible 66 eligible branches have had their BGMs. Four of the six nominated Ramaphosa and one nominated Dlamini-Zuma. The outcome of the other branch meeting was disputed.

Six of the 103 branches in the Ngaka Modiri Molema region sat for their BGMs. All of them nominated the party’s deputy president.

In the North West’s largest region, Bojanala, 10 of the 150 branches have had their BGMs, with seven nominating Ramaphosa and three backing Dlamini-Zuma.

In the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati region, 20 out of 49 branches met, with six nominating Ramaphosa and 10 nominating Dlamini-Zuma. The remaining four are disputed.

Provincial secretary Dakota Legoete said the party’s presidential race is still too early to call.

“At the moment, it is difficult to say who is the front-runner since not even 50% of the branches here have had their BGMs,” said Legoete.

Free State

The Free State has been plagued by outbreaks of violence at its branch meetings. Insiders claim that 165 BGMs had been held in the province; but, the exact figures on how regions were nominating were still unclear at the time of going to print. The province will send 409 candidates to the national conference.

Provincial spokesperson Thabo Meeko said the PEC couldn’t finalise nomination numbers because it was busy identifying violent hot spots.

“There have been indications of people who are hell-bent on disruptions, but we handled them well politically,” he told the M&G.

Ramaphosa backers, however, claimed he had support in the Motheo region, where the deputy provincial chair, Thabo Manyoni, hails from. His lobbyists claim Ramaphosa is leading nominations in the Thabo Mofutsanyana region.

Dlamini-Zuma is expected to pull most of the nominations from the Lejweleputswa region and Fezile Dabi, Free State Premier Ace Magashule’s home base. The Xhariep region has not yet begun its nominations process.