In what would be a setback for national leaders, the Free State African National Congress looks set to elect former United Democratic Front (UDF) activist Ace Magashule as its provincial chief.
Magashule has twice been “redeployed” from the provincial leadership to Parliament, because of protracted divisions in the Free State party.
Insiders tip him to take over as chairperson of the Free State ANC at the party’s provincial conference at the weekend. The party has been under provisional leadership since its faction-ridden provincial executive was disbanded in 2000.
If the former UDF activist is elected, it will provide further evidence of a resurgence of the ANC’s “internal” wing. This year former UDF members Popo Molefe and Fish Mahlalela were elected ANC chairpersons in the North West and Mpumalanga respectively.
Together with former premier Mosiuoa Lekota, Magashule was packed off to Parliament when ANC national leaders cracked down on factional tensions in the Free State in 1997.
He was re-elected provincial party leader two years later, but was again moved to Cape Town as an MP after the last election.
The province has been plagued by divisions between its southern and northern regions.
No leader deployed from the national office, including current Free State Premier Winkie Direko, has succeeded in healing the rifts.
Direko (71) has not indicated that she will be standing for chairperson, but is widely believed to be a candidate with Luthuli House (the ANC head office) backing.
Also being punted as chairperson is Gregory Nthathisi, a member of the provincial legislature. Nthathisi is viewed as Lekota’s man as well as enjoying the favour of Luthuli House.
ANC provincial spokesperson Spirit Monyobo emphatically denied that Luthuli House had any “preferred candidate”.
Magashule, premier elect in 1994 who made way for Lekota, is from Parys and has traditionally enjoyed northern support.
He is said to have made inroads in the south, the support base of his key rivals, Lekota and MEC for Finance Zingile Dingane. The election of Thabo Monyane, a close Magashule ally, as the regional chairperson of southern region Motheo is believed to have swung the balance in Magashule’s favour.
Dingane, who beat Matsepe-Casaburri and a deployee to the province during a special ANC conference in 1997, is believed to be a strong contender for provincial chairperson. However Magashule’s supporters believe he will only make it to the provincial executive.
Magashule’s supporters are punting trade unionist Anna Buthelezi for the deputy chairperson’s position, Pat Mathosa for provincial secretary and former Robben Islander Tate Magoe for treasurer.
Mathosa, also redeployed to the national Parliament in 1997, was later suspended from the ANC after an attempted murder charge was brought against him. The ANC’s national executive revoked the suspension when he won on appeal.
A senior ANC source said it was unclear why Magashule was being allowed to stand, given that he had been removed “for failing to provide good leadership”.
“The 1997 decision was that those identified as factionalists should not come back to the province,” the source said.
“As long as the same personalities are involved, divisions will continue. The problem was only solved in Gauteng when a completely new leadership emerged.”
Additional reporting by Drew Forrest