Wally Mbhele and Makhosini Nkosi
There was stunned silence at an African National Congress national working committee meeting this week when Deputy President Thabo Mbeki announced his decision to axe both the Gauteng and Mpumalanga premiers.
Gauteng Premier Mathole Motshekga was summoned to Mbeki’s Johannesburg office this week where he was told of his fate. Mpumalanga Premier Mathews Phosa learned of his sacking from colleagues who attended the meeting, and by Thursday had yet to be informed by the ANC.
The ANC has not formulated a strategy to sell its controversial decision to its branches. According to sources, the ANC initially agreed that before a decision would be taken on the premiers, provincial party structures would be informed and afforded an opportunity to debate the suggestions.
The level of hostility demonstrated against Phosa, said sources, surprised many leaders who attended the committee meeting. But they failed to question Mbeki. The only exception, according to insiders, was Minister of Health Nkosazana Zuma. She refused to accept the decision and asked probing questions. Zuma is understood to have demanded reasons, particularly for Phosa’s dismissal.
Sources say Zuma was told that Phosa has been the main source of divisions engulfing the ANC in Mpumalanga. The little-known former KwaNdebele homeland cabinet minister Nomavovo Mahlangu was then identified as the best candidate to heal the divisions.
Sources said when Zuma asked where Phosa would be deployed following his axing, Mbeki indicated that he would deploy him to the National Assembly.
In what some committee members considered a personal attack against Phosa, the meeting was also told that – for the record – it should be stressed that Phosa had never been the ANC’s head of legal affairs but had appointed himself to that position. A South African Communist Party member then said Mathole’sdismissal will offer “a breath of fresh air”.
The dismissal of Motshekga and his replacement by the Congress of South African Trade Unions’ leader, Mbhazima Shilowa, has angered ANC Gauteng regions. Motshekga recently received the highest number of nominations from ANC branches for the election list.
A source in one of the Gauteng regions said Motshekga’s sacking could lead to a boycott of the June 2 elections by branches if the ANC did not manage his departure well.
“The comrades at national level did not consult us on the reason why they decided to fire Mathole. We feel completely left out of the process. As far as we are concerned, the man was still trying to stand on his feet. This is outrageous,” he said.
However, the East Rand region, which was Motshekga stronghold when he was elected premier in 1997, may not support him now.
“It does seem that we made a mistake by supporting him. The man just doesn’t have what it takes to be a leader at such level. It is up to Mathole to prove that he is a disciplined cadre of the movement. He must tell his supporters to throw their weight behind the new premier,” an East Rand ANC source said.
Before his axing, Phosa’s future has been hanging in the balance pending the outcome of an ANC investigation into divisions in Mpumalanga.
However, it is not clear whether the outcome of the probe was tabled at Tuesday’s meeting. The inquiry – headed by ANC MP Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula – has recommended that Phosa be redeployed.
Mpumalanga is likely to pose problems for the ANC. A week ago the province’s ANC structures unanimously affirmed their confidence in Phosa when his principal political rivals were axed from the provincial working committee.
“Something has really gone mad in the ANC,” said an Mpumalanga provincial leader on Thursday. “All these years they were quiet and happy when Phosa issued press statements in his capacity as the organisation’s legal head. Why was he not called to order, or is it only a matter of political opportunism to say so now?”
It is understood that Phosa told his confidantes he’ll survive what happened this week. “He said he does not want to provoke or be provoked. He believes there’s life after politics. He said he’s going to thank President [Nelson] Mandela for giving him the opportunity to serve the people,” a friend said.