Kebby, Blade, Cosatu dropped
SENIOR SACP leaders, Cosatu unionists and MKMVA president Kebby Maphatsoe have been dropped from the ANC’s all-powerful national executive committee elected at its national conference.
Maphatsoe, a strident backer of failed presidential candidate Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, said he was disappointed by her defeat.
He said while he lost out on being re-elected to the NEC, he was happy that critical policies including radical economic transformation were adopted by the conference.
The SACP says the exclusion of several of its leaders is a significant issue, including general secretary Blade Nzimande, national chairperson Senzeni Zokwana and deputy chairperson Thulas Nxesi.
President Jacob Zuma recently dropped Nzimande from his cabinet.
The new NEC, the highest decision-making body between conferences, appears to be a carefully crafted equal split between Cyril Ramaphosa and Jacob Zuma camps.
Of 80 members, about 35 are Ramaphosa backers, including chief whip Jackson Mthembu, former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and Mathole Motshekga.
Zuma’s staunch supporters include newly elected secretary-general Ace Magashule, Women’s League president Bathabile Dlamini, Youth League president Collen Maine and Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane.
This as the SACP has called for the reconfiguration of the Tripartite Alliance, complaining about the sidelining of the left in the ruling party’s deployment and key decision-making.
SACP first deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila blamed factional battles leading up to the ANC elective conference for the poor showing of leaders from the left in the final NEC list.
Mapaila said the party had no qualms about the exclusion of SACP leaders, as they were participating in the ANC structures as ANC members and not as SACP leaders.
He said while previous SACP general secretaries have always secured a seat in the ANC NEC, including Struggle heroes Chris Hani and Joe Slovo, Nzimande’s surprise exclusion would not mark the first time an SACP general secretary did not sit on the ANC’s NEC.
“Late former general secretary Moses Kotane (who served between 1939 and 1978) was not on the ANC NEC at some point, so it is not the first time,” Mapaila said. But SACP KZN secretary Themba Mthembu said they would engage the ANC on the exclusion of the party’s senior leaders from the NEC. Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said the federation had hoped the ANC conference would retain some unionists.
Along with Zokwana and Nxesi, former Nehawu general secretary Slovo Majola was also left out of the NEC. Majola is also a member of the SACP central committee.
According to Ntshalintshali, Cosatu did not lobby for any of its leaders to be elected to the ANC NEC out of fear of being accused of interfering in the affairs of its ally.
Ntshalintshali said Cosatu only backed Ramaphosa but was also happy with the performance of its second deputy president Zingiswa Losi, who lost the ANC deputy secretary-general position to incumbent Jessie Duarte by 261 votes earlier this week.
Losi was however voted onto the NEC yesterday.
Other notable exclusions from the NEC include Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaahla, Home Affairs Minister Ayanda Dlodlo, her Land Reform and Rural Development counterpart, Gugile Nkwinti, and his deputy, Mcebisi Skwatsha.
ANC veterans Max Sisulu and Stone Sizani also failed to make the cut alongside Philly Mapulane.
A surprise inclusion was disgraced former higher education deputy minister Mduduzi Manana, who assaulted two women at a Johannesburg nightclub.
1. Zweli Mkhize 2. Lindiwe Zulu 3. Regina Makgaule 4. David Masondo 5. Malusi Gigaba 6. Ronald Lamola 7. Violet Siwela 8. Zizi Kodwa 9. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma 10. Obed Bapela 11. Tito Mboweni 12. Lindiwe Sisulu 13. Bheki Cele 14. Fikile Mbalula 15. Thoko Didiza 16. Sdumo Dlamini 17. Bathabile Dlamini 18. Senzo Mchunu 19. Pravin Gordhan 20. Naledi Pandor 21. Ivan Botes 22. Zingiswa Losi 23. Jackson Mthembu 24. Phumulo Masualle 25. Pule Mabe 26. Sfiso Buthelezi 27. Mduduzi Manana 28. Aaron Motsoaledi 29. Thandi Modise 30. Edna Molewa 31. Collen Maine 32. Nathi Mthethwa 33. Tima Joemat Pieterson 34. Nkenke Kekana 35. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane 36. Angie Motshekga 37. Bongani Bongo 38. Enoch Godongwana 39. Nomvula Mokonyane 40. Baleka Mbete 41. Derrick Hanekom 42. Mondli Gungubele 43. Jeff Radebe 44. David Mahlobo 45. Ruth Bhengu 46. Mosebenzi Zwane 47. Pinky Kekana 48. Nocawe Mafu 49. Joe Maswanganyi 50. Tony Yengeni 51. Joel Netshitenzhe 52. Dakota Lekgoete 53. Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula 54. Noxolo Kiviet 55. Ngoako Ramathlodi 56. Mathole Motshekga 57. Sbongile Bhesane 58. Thandi Mahambehlala 59. Susan Shabangu 60. Pinky Moloi 61. Beauty Dlulane 62. Pamela Tshwete 63. Toko Xasa 64. Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba 65. Dikeledi Magadzi 66. Thabang Makwetla 67. Siyabonga Cwele 68. Barbrah Creecy 69. Mildred Oliphant 70. Khensani Khubayi 71. Nomaindia Mfeketho 72. Hlengiwe Mkhize 73. Pemmy Majodina 74. Faith Mothambi 75. Rejoice Mabudavhasi 76. Cindy Tshikunga 77. Gwen Ramokgopa 78. Sylvia Lucas 79. Pammy Majodina 80. Candith Mashego