Lesufi poised to become new Gauteng premier
GAUTENG ANC chairperson Panyaza Lesufi looks set to take over as premier despite the DA’s attempt to replace David Makhura with its candidate Solly Msimanga.
This is because the governing ANC has already clinched extensive working ties with the EFF in the legislature and the metro councils.
The ANC is expecting all its 37 provincial legislature members to attend the special sitting today to elect Lesufi, the current education MEC, as the new premier.
Makhura resigned as premier on Tuesday, weeks after the Gauteng ANC provincial executive committee resolved to recall him.
The new working agreement between the ANC and the EFF is likely to bar some members of Julius Malema’s party from turning their back on Lesufi in favour of Msimanga. The EFF is the third-largest political party in the legislature.
Msimanga confirmed that his party had nominated him to contest for the position.
The DA has 20 members, the EFF 11 and the IFP and ACDP each have one.
A confident Lesufi told the media yesterday that “he was humbled by the ANC” decision to appoint him as a premier-candidate, but said some parts of the province were facing many challenges such as inadequate housing and poor service delivery.
“I accept it with humility, open mind and open hands,” he said.
While his party expressed its support for him, Lesufi admitted that the ANC under his leadership had clinched working deals with a number of political parties in the City of Ekurhuleni and City of Tshwane following their takeover of the City of Joburg, after strong support from the EFF and other political parties.
“A lot of political parties have been engaged with us in talks to work together. We are open to talks with other political parties,” Lesufi said.
While the ANC did not name the parties, it indirectly confirmed its involvement in talks with the EFF relating to a possible vote of no confidence against Tania Campbell – the mayor of Ekurhuleni. The EFF and ANC combined constitute a majority in Ekurhuleni.
ANC provincial secretary Thembinkosi “TK” Nciza said the details of their agreement with the parties would be announced in due course, but emphasised that most of them were “black political parties”.
Nciza also took a swipe at the media following insinuations that certain members of the cabinet of Makhura were likely to face the axe.
Some media organisations singled out MEC for Roads and Transport Jacob Mamabolo and Economic Development and Agriculture MEC Parks Tau as the possible casualties.
The possible return of Gauteng ANC deputy chairperson Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko to the education department, as Lesufi’s replacement, has also been mentioned.
In reply to questions about the cabinet, Nciza said in jest: “The premier-elect has yet to meet the ANC and alliance partners before any announcement of the provincial cabinet. It appears that the media had come to lobby for certain candidates.”
Lesufi is expected to name his cabinet after his possible election. Msimanga claimed that if Lesufi was elected, Gauteng residents would be given another premier who would be unable to ensure open and transparent governance in the province.
Msimanga said: “There is nothing new that Lesufi will bring to the residents of Gauteng as he has been part of Makhura’s cabinet that failed to fulfil all the service delivery promises made to our residents.
“If failures by MEC Lesufi are anything to go by, nothing much will change for the residents of Gauteng. They will continue to endure poor basic service delivery from a government that is only concerned with enriching themselves.
“For the ANC, the party comes before the citizens of the country. Lesufi will be prioritising the ambitions of his cadres ahead of the service delivery needs of the Gauteng public as ANC eats from the trough before they are booted out in 2024.”