Mantashe comes from clouds to challenge for chair

ANC branches in the Lephalale and Mogalakwena local municipalities in the Waterberg region have dumbed Limpopo premier Stan Mathabatha for the position of ANC national chair in favour of Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe.

This became evident when the majority of branches in the two subregions were shown to have no confidence in him at recent branch general meetings (BGM).

The ANC will hold its 55th national elective conference from 16 to 20 December at Nasrec.

In June, the province said it was 100% behind Mathabatha for chair and that it would support Ramaphosa for re-election as party president, with acting ANC secretary-general Paul Mashatile for the position of ANC deputy president.

The province also said it would support former water and sanitation minister Nomvula Mokonyane for deputy secretary-general.

The province’s preferences also got the nod from the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

But it has since emerged that this slate has holes in it.

However, the majority of branches in a region where Mathabatha is unpopular have chosen Mantashe for national chair.

Mathabatha became unpopular in the Waterberg after the region accused him of snubbing its senior party leaders during the reconfiguration of his Cabinet in favour of VBS-tainted individuals.

He also fell out of favour with branches in the Lephalale subregion after the province’s PEC forced the election as mayor of council member Aaron Mokgehle. This decision also led to the rival Democratic Alliance taking power away from the ANC after its councillor was elected mayor.

In the Mogalakwena subregion, 19 branches qualified to hold BGMs to nominate preferred candidates to lead the party for the next five years.

Of those, four nominated Mathabatha and 15 Mantashe.” The Citizen has learnt.

In Lephalale, 12 of 15 branches were qualified to hold BGMs. Of the 12, 11 nominated Mantashe.

Yesterday ANC subregional chair Malose Marakalala confirmed the majority of branches in Lephalale nominated in favour of Mantashe.

“I can confirm that Mathabatha was nominated by only one branch in Lephalale, while 11 of them nominated Mantashe.

“I can also confirm all the 12 branches in the subregion have nominated in favour of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s re-election for a second term,” said Marakalala.

The outcome of the nominations in the Waterberg have baffled many, as it was in sharp contrast with the pronouncement made by the party’s PEC in September, when Limpopo ANC spokesperson Jimmy Machaka said the province’s work was to ensure all branches in Limpopo nominate Mathabatha at their BGMs. for national chair.

He said this week the outcome of the nomination process from all branches would be consolidated soon and he was confident Mathabatha would get the nod.