Cyril’s Luthuli House ‘coup’ raises eyebrows
Critics suspect ulterior motives behind move to bring in Ramokgopa
● ANC factions are split over moves by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s supporters to bring former Gauteng health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa into the party’s top six in an acting capacity, with critics calling it an attempt to take over the running of Luthuli House.
A showdown over the plan to make Ramokgopa acting secretary-general is expected at the national working committee (NWC) meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
A vacuum in the secretary-general’s office was created when corruption-accused Ace Magashule was suspended last year after he refused to step aside as per party rules. Magashule’s deputy, Jessie Duarte, who had been acting in the position, has fallen ill.
The NWC appointed treasurer-general Paul Mashatile to fill in for Duarte. But Mashatile is said to have indicated that he requires extra hands to deal with the workload that comes with occupying both offices.
The secretary-general’s office is in charge of the day-to-day running of the party — and also plays a significant role in who attends the party’s national conference because it conducts audits of party branches.
The Ramaphosa group is said to have changed tack, and is expected to now propose that Ramokgopa comes into the secretary-general’s office as a “co-ordinator”.
But those who are opposed to the move say there is no need to bring in Ramokgopa at all.
“I really don’t know, because Jessie is not impaired. So what is the reason? I hardly understand its basis unless people have got other, ulterior motives better known by them and unless they feel this does not flout processes,” said a party leader who asked not to be named.
However, a senior NEC member aligned with the Ramaphosa faction, who also requested anonymity, told the Sunday Times the proposal will be rubber-stamped at tomorrow’s NWC meeting.
At previous NWC meetings, Tony Yengeni is said to have proposed former North West provincial secretary Dakota Legoete for the office. But this did not receive majority support.
Yengeni is also said to have raised the objection that there are members of the national executive committee (NEC) who are already serving full-time at Luthuli House who can do the task.
National chair Gwede Mantashe is said to have voiced similar sentiments. Neither he or Yengeni was available for comment.
Ramokgopa told the Sunday Times that no decision has been taken about how to boost capacity in the secretary-general’s office.
“However, what we are discussing at the NEC is how to strengthen support for the officials, especially with a lot of work with the DSG [Duarte] not well,” she said.
“How we’re going to do it, whether the people who are there are going to distribute the work or there’ll be an additional team that comes in, we’re still in discussion. I think it’s really presumptuous to start looking at any other views that are not necessarily official that preempt the outcome of discussions.”
A party leader in Ramaphosa’s faction said: “[The Ramokgopa proposal] was supported, overwhelmingly in the NEC.
“No-one said no to Gwen, it was only at the NWC where Tony Yengeni pulled the name of Dakota, but no-one supported that. Dakota is still very young, he can’t be the acting SG.
“She is coming in as a co-ordinator. Gwen is not elected, so she’ll be a co-ordinator until comrade Jessie comes back, because basically we’re saying that comrade Jessie must be given time to recover.”
Another source said Ramokgopa’s name was suggested after Mashatile realised he needed assistance.
This insider said those who object to the Ramokgopa proposal are worried that the move could sideline NEC members who are already working at Luthuli House, such as Nomvula Mokonyane, who is in charge of organising.
“What happens to the likes of Nomvula when you bring in Gwen? That will essentially remove them from the space. So it has a bit of jealousy in it and not necessarily politics,” said the insider.
“It was deferred back to the NWC for processing. Yes, it’s possible that she will be roped in, but we are [still] processing it.”
Those who are motivating for Ramokgopa describe her as “sober” and not necessarily aligned with any faction, even though she is known to be a Ramaphosa ally.
Another party leader in the Ramaphosa group said Ramokgopa will assume her duties immediately as many ANC events are scheduled this year, including the policy conference and the elective conference in December.
“We just need somebody who will stabilise that office, that’s all,” this source said.
“It’s an immediate task because the ANC, in terms of organisation, it’s bad, it’s weak, and the branches have to go to [branch meetings] and we have to plan for the policy conference in July, and we have to plan for the elective conference in December, so a lot of those things needs to be developed.”
The source said Mashatile was doing his best, but could not handle both his own responsibilities and those of the secretarygeneral.
“He’s struggling with raising funding for staff members, but I think the majority of people are happy now that the staff has been fully paid, now it’s only the provident fund that is outstanding.
“[Ramokgopa will] report directly to officials, she’ll be part of the top four, reporting to them and also report to the NWC and NEC,” the insider said.