Mantashe has ‘mixed emotions’

Outgoing ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe yesterday said he had mixed emotions as he leaves behind a “difficult and complex” office.

He made his comments ahead of the ANC’s 54th national conference in Johannesburg, which begins tomorrow and ends on Wednesday.

“Leaving an office I enjoyed for 10 years is a mixed feeling. It’s a very difficult office, very complex … you absorb blame for everything and don’t get any credit for anything. We have enjoyed it … we are coming to an end,” Mantashe told reporters.

Despite disputes around candidate nominations, some of which have ended up in court, Mantashe said the elective conference where President Jacob Zuma’s successor as leader of the ruling party will be elected would go ahead as planned.

“We are quite happy that the conference will go ahead. It will be successful, it won’t collapse … those who said it would collapse are probably disappointed already,” he said.

“It will be the most well organised, most engaging conference. We have the gala dinner tomorrow night and on Saturday things will get running.”

The conference, labelled as the most important in the ANC’s history, will also see delegates voting for their preferred top six leaders and NEC members.

Seven presidential hopefuls are in the running to take over from Zuma, with Cyril Ramaphosa and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma the favourites. –

It will be the most well organised, most engaging conference. We have the gala dinner tomorrow night and Saturday things will get running. Gwede Mantashe Secretary-general