Ramaphosa leads ANC race by a mile
• New candidates may be added to the ballot as horse-trading and lobbying go into high gear
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s campaign for re-election as the leader of the ANC was bolstered on Tuesday after he won an overwhelming majority of support from the 3,500 branches.
The ANC electoral committee announced that Ramaphosa got 2,037 nominations from all nine provinces, giving him an early lead, which almost secures him an easy victory at the national conference in December.
His rival, former health minister Zweli Mkhize, got 916 nominations, mainly from his home province of KwaZuluNatal as well as from Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and the Northern Cape.
Nominations for the top six positions pave the way for those vying for leadership. The ANC’s top six — president, deputy president, treasurer-general, secretary-general, deputy secretary-general and national chair — are a powerful unit that meets every week to take decisions on everything from governance to organisational matters.
They also lead the 20member national working committee, which oversees the day-to-day running of the party.
Those elected in December will have the onerous task of renewing the party and readying it for the 2024 general elections. The ANC has lost a huge amount of support in successive general elections and is on track to lose its majority in 2024, according to political analysts.
Although Ramaphosa is enjoying an early lead, there remains a possibility of new candidates being added to the ballot as intense horse-trading and lobbying go into high gear in the three’ weeks leading up to partys elective conference on December 16.
Deputy president David Mabuza, who has not publicly put his hand up for re-election for any position, received 196 nominations for the position of president, which is the third highest number.
Mabuza’s numbers are higher than co-operative governance & traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu, who have both been on the campaign trail for months
before the nominations closed on November 7. The pair received 81 and 66 nominations, respectively, leaving them out of the race unless they are able to garner 25% support from the conference floor when over 4,000 delegates converge in Johannesburg for the four-day conference in December.
Ramaphosa’s nominations represent the highest number of nominations received by any candidate who is standing for one of the top six positions in the party. ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, who is leading nominations for the deputy president position, received 1,791 nominations.
Other candidates who have made the ballot for deputy president are justice minister Ronald Lamola, with 427 nominations and Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane, who received 397 nominations.
Limpopo premier Stanley Mathabatha is now the frontrunner for the national chair position with 1,492 nominations, compared with mineral resources & energy minister Gwede Mantashe’s 979 and deputy finance minister David Masondo’s 501.
For secretary-general, the party’s former KwaZulu-Natal secretary, Mdumiseni Ntuli, got 1,225 nominations compared with deputy public enterprises minister Phumulo Masualle’s 889 and transport minister Fikile Mbalula’s 749.
Ramaphosa’s adviser, Benjamin Chauke, ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe and the party’s Ekurhuleni chair, Mzwandile Masina, also obtained sufficient nominations for the treasurergeneral position.
Ministers Mmamoloko Kubayi, Senzo Mchunu and Enoch Godongwana were among some of the big names who failed to muster enough support for nominations to the top six positions. They will have to wait for the conference floor if they want the party to put their names on the ballot.
“One could read between the lines when the various provincial executive committees endorsed Ramaphosa before nominations began,” says political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast.
“Unless there are findings with regards to the Phala Phala issue, [Ramaphosa] is set to get a second term as party president.”
DAVID MABUZA, WHO HAS NOT PUBLICLY PUT HIS HAND UP FOR RE-ELECTION FOR ANY POSITION, RECEIVED 196 NOMINATIONS
FINANCE MINISTER ENOCH GODONGWANA WAS AMONG SOME OF THE BIG NAMES WHO FAILED TO MUSTER ENOUGH SUPPORT