Masualle gets Bay backing for third term
ANC bosses in Nelson Mandela Bay have thrown their weight behind Phumulo Masualle to lead the party in the Eastern Cape for a third term.
The regional leadership is also backing Bay councillor Andile Lungisa for provincial secretary when the ANC holds its provincial elective conference in East London next month.
While current provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane is believed to be the front-runner for the chairmanship, Bay treasurer Mbulelo Gidane said they were behind Masualle.
“We want to send comrade Masualle to represent us as the chairperson and comrade Lungisa as our secretary. We will be taking this message to the branches,” Gidane said.
Masualle delivered the Andile Yawa memorial lecture at the NU 2 Hall in Motherwell yesterday.
The 250-strong crowd sang and chanted as they endorsed Masualle, who has been provincial chairman for the past two terms.
He called for the Eastern Cape to focus on unity and for branches to prioritise the provincial congress.
Masualle said some people were coming to the province to sow divisions.
“Everyone wants to come to the Eastern Cape but we must tell them even if it’s [Mathews] Phosa, Nkosazana [Dlamini-Zuma] or Cyril [Ramaphosa], they must wait for us.”
The three are all believed to be in the running for the ANC presidency.
Masualle warned the ANC to guard against those who came with promises of positions.
Although the top provincial post in the ANC is expected to be a two-man race between Masualle and Mabuyane, other branches have been lobbying for former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas to throw his hat in the ring.