TUESDAY, 3.30PM
THE African National Congress in Mpumalanga on Tuesday nominated its chairman, provincial Premier Mathews Phosa, as its choice for the party’s deputy presidency.
Phosa’s nomination, as well as the nomination of Deputy President Thabo Mbeki for ANC president, will be tabled by the Mpumalanga branch at the ANC’s national conference in North-West in December.
As part of a strategy to promote regional leaders to national postions to ensure maximum prominence for Mpumalanga, the province is also punting its health MEC Candith Mashego, agriculture MEC January Masilela, party treasurer Johannes Shabangu and public works MEC Jackson Mthembu as nominees for the ANC’s national executive committee.
The provincial executive also nominated ANC KwaZulu-Natal leader Jacob Zuma to retain his position as ANC national chairman, and National Union of Mineworkers secretary-general Kgalima Motlante for the position of ANC secretary-general. The branch further nominated North-West Premier Popo Molefe for the position of deputy secretary, and South Africa’s ambassador to France, Barbara Masikela, for treasurer-general.
Only the secretary-general, his deputy and the treasurer-general are full-time positions, so Phosa would be free to retain his provincial chairmanship and even the premiership of Mpumalanga if he were elected ANC deputy president, Mthembu said. He added that only Phosa had been approached about his availability. The other candidates will be asked within the next two weeks.