Three MECs vie for Ace’s old job in the Free State

● The ANC’s national executive committee will today decide who will replace Ace Magashule as premier of the Free State.

The provincial ANC sent three names to the NEC to consider.

Magashule is expected to resign next month after being elected secretary-general.

The NEC will decide between three MECs, Sisi Ntombela, Sam Mashinini and Limakatso Mahasa.

It is understood that Mashinini is Magashule’s preferred candidate.

Ntombela is deputy president of the ANC Women’s League and led Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s campaign for the ANC presidency last year.

Mahasa is the youngest member of the provincial executive and those in the ANC supporting her candidacy have said she would be a breath of fresh air.

“We sent the names to the NEC and they will have to decide,” ANC provincial spokesman Thabo Meeko said.

Magashule will deliver his last state of the province address on Thursday in his hometown of Parys.

After a new premier is appointed, the ANC in the province is expected to elect a new leadership after the court invalidated the party’s last conference in December.

The NEC meeting today is due to give the provincial structure the go-ahead to hold its provincial conference before the end of next month.

Meeko said logistics for the conference would be finalised after a go-ahead by the NEC.

The NEC meeting will also consider political developments in the interim leadership structure of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal and its readiness for an elective conference.

NEC members said they would have to consider the composition of the executive’s 17 subcommittees and which of its members would be appointed.

The NEC will also elect chairs of the subcommittees of the various portfolios. It is also due to discuss the deployees to different provinces who play an oversight role in the provincial ANC structures.

This NEC meeting comes almost two weeks after it met and decided to recall Jacob Zuma from office, a decision that led to his resignation and Ramaphosa’s elevation to the fifth president of the republic.

ANC spokesman Pule Mabe and Magashule could not be reached for comment on the agenda for the meeting.