Masualle slams 3 ANC premiers
Calls growing in ruling party to put stop to manoeuvres
THE Eastern Cape ANC is leading a revolt within the party against three influential premiers who want to determine the next leader at its elective conference in two years.
This week, ANC provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle called on ANC members to isolate Free State premier Ace Magashule, North West’s Supra Mahumapelo and Mpumalanga’s David Mabuza.
The three are also provincial chairmen in their provinces and within the ANC have become known as the “premier league”.
So powerful is the group that in the past two months they are believed to have influenced the elections of Bathabile Dlamini and unknown Collen Maine as presidents of the ANC Women’s League and ANC Youth League respectively.
Yesterday, Masualle, obviously irritated by events of the past two months, described the “premier league” as a faction of individuals only interested in serving their own needs.
Masualle is one of a few ANC leaders to have spoken out against the group’s emergence in the last two months.
Those who have so far spoken out, have all been from the Eastern Cape.
Political analyst Dr Somadoda Fikeni said the Eastern Cape ANC would not have launched the attack if it did not have the support of other provinces.
“I’m almost certain that they [Eastern Cape ANC] would not be bold enough if they were alone. They would say this because they have caucused with other provinces and roleplayers,” Fikeni said.
The first salvo was launched by Young Communist League national secretary and Eastern Cape MPL Mluleki Dlelanga last month.
He accused the premier league of sidelining communists within the ANC.
“We know there are people within the ANC working hard towards 2017 who want to sideline the communists. They undermine structures, do gatekeeping and use money to buy votes,” he said.
Last week, ANC secretarygeneral Gwede Mantashe questioned how three premiers could be allowed to take over the ANC.
“What happens when the ANC is taken over by only three premiers? Where are the others? Are they sleeping on duty? Because it’s not just a blame game, it is a question