Factions unite to block Mashatile’s bid for deputy
• The battle for the governing party’s second-in-command position intensifies
As President Cyril Ramaphosa and former health minister Zweli Mkhize battle it out for the post of ANC president, those closest to them have united in their opposition to ANC acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile becoming deputy president. Until now, Mashatile has been a shoo-in for the post after having being endorsed by five provincial leadership structures before nominations opened in October. But minority factions are discussing joining forces to challenge Mashatile, it emerged on Monday. Business Day understands that rival caucuses gathered separately in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng at the weekend to discuss the possibility of nominating a candidate from the conference floor.
As President Cyril Ramaphosa and former health minister Zweli Mkhize battle it out for the post of ANC president, those closest to them have united in their opposition to ANC acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile becoming party deputy president.
The battle for the ANC’s second-in-command position has intensified since the release of the names of those who have been nominated, with minority factions discussing joining forces to challenge leading candidate Mashatile, it emerged on Monday.
Until now, Mashatile has been a shoo-in for the post of deputy president having being endorsed by five provincial leadership structures before nominations opened in October.
The endorsements were solidified by the majority of the more than 3,000 ANC branches countrywide, giving him the majority of nominations to replace David Mabuza.
Business Day understands that rival caucuses gathered separately in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng at the weekend to discuss the possibility of nominating a candidate from the conference floor.
Mkhize and Ramaphosa allies decided to rally behind Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Ronald Lamola, respectively, in a last-ditch effort to thwart Mashatile’s rise to the number two position in the ANC top six.
At the party’s national conference, delegates can nominate additional candidates from the floor. Those with 25% support of delegates will be added to the ballot. No more than two nominees may be nominated from the floor by each province or league.
Traditionally, the ANC president has been succeeded by the party’s deputy and Mashatile has angered both Ramaphosa’s and Mkhize’s factions by keeping a distance from both.
On Saturday, ANC members aligned to Mkhize suggested that Dlamini Zuma, whose 81 nominations made her ineligible to be on the ballot, replace Mashatile as Mkhize’s running mate.
This suggestion was however thrown out by Mkhize who allegedly argued that Mashatile’s 1,791 nominations make him the obvious choice as a running mate, despite their differences.
In KwaZulu-Natal ,the provincial ANC has denied the move away from Mashatile, but insiders have confirmed that Mashatile does not have the package that will help Mkhize.
On Sunday, Ramaphosaaligned members of the ANC, led by minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele, suggested countering Mashatile’s lead by supporting Lamola, who received 427 nominations for deputy president, or supporting water & sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu, whose name would be raised from the floor.
“There are currently 1,400 branches that did not nominate anyone for the position of deputy president, so we are counting on those to support Mchunu from the floor,” a lobbyist for Mchunu told Business Day.
Mchunu’s name would have to be raised from the floor for him to get on the ballot because he only received 278 nominations for deputy president.
On Monday, ANC Eastern Cape secretary Lulama Ngcukaitobi said the province, which initially backed provincial chairperson Oscar Mabuyane for deputy president, is open to be lobbied to move away from its position and support another candidate for the position.
“The discussion may ultimately convince us about the correctness about a leader in other provinces. It’s an open discussion. We are even open that other structures may think of us,” Ngcukaitobi said.
The Eastern Cape is engaging with Mpumalanga, he said, “because we have more similarities than other provinces”.
Should the horse-trading between the two provinces succeed, it would see Lamola’s numbers boosted by Mabuyane’s 397 nominations for deputy president.
Mashatile, a former Gauteng chairperson, got overwhelming votes in the branch nomination process, giving him a solid chance to be party No 2 alongside Ramaphosa when elections are held at the December 16-20 conference.
Mashatile received 1,791 of the branch votes, while Lamola and Eastern Cape chairperson and premier Mabuyane got 427 and 397, respectively.
While a combined 824 votes would not dent Mashatile’s lead, he would be troubled if the coalitions of the smaller groupings get the support of big provinces such as KwaZuluNatal, insiders said.
The deputy presidency may be more hotly contested than even the presidency, with Ramaphosa (2,037) enjoying a huge lead over former health minister Mkhize (916).
It is a powerful position in the context of the ANC’s succession and traditions as presidents since the 1960s were succeeded by their deputies.
Mashatile has angered the more significant grouping in the ANC as he has recently kept at arm’s length both the Ramaphosa and Mkhize factions. He may also be at risk if KwaZuluNatal and Limpopo ditch him.
The branch nomination numbers are only helpful in deciding who makes it on the ballot, but branch delegates get to vote afresh at the conference.