ANC plans for two deputy secretary-generals
Mokonyane, Potgieter nominated to take up posts
The ANC is set to emerge with an extra deputy secretary-general after its December conference.
ANC head of constitutional development Ronald Lamola suggested that there was consensus within the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) for a reconfigured top six to include a top seven post the 55th national conference.
Speaking at the party’s headquarters during a media briefing that followed this weekend’s three-day NEC meeting, Lamola said there was a national consensus to have two deputy secretarygenerals.
The party’s last deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte died in July this year, leaving the secretariat without a head after the incumbent secretarygeneral, Ace Magashule, was suspended in May 2021 after he was indicted in accordance with the party’s step-aside rule. The rule holds that if a member of the party is indicted on criminal charges, they should step aside from their position. If they do not, they may be suspended.
Magashule faces charges of fraud and corruption relating to a R255m tender for an audit of asbestos roofing in the Free State. He is due back in court in February.
“The constitutional amendment [relates to the] DSG [deputy secretary-general] and step aside. With regards to the DSG, the rationale is that we will need to have a second DSG who will be able to be assigned specific responsibilities by the NEC,” Lamola said.
So far, ANC NEC member Nomvula Mokonyane and the party’s general manager Febe Potgieter have been nominated to take up the post of DSG.
Should the amendment pass the test during the five-day NEC conference to be held at Nasrec, this could pave the way for both women to occupy space in the office of the secretary-general.
One of the other amendments that conference will have to deliberate on will be strengthening the ANC’s stepaside policy, which bars criminally charged members from participating and even being nominated for positions.
Ahead of the party’s policy conference in July, at least four provinces, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Free State, called for the resolution taken at the 54th national conference to be scrapped.
However, the resolution is said to be making its way to the party’s constitution.
“Step aside will be constitutionalised in the ANC. Step aside started in Mangaung when the party was looking at how to deal with implicated members and how could it affect the ANC. [We’re] strengthening step aside, so when it’s in the constitution all structures will abide by it,” Lamola said.