Finance Minister Trevor Manuel features strongly on the African National Congress (ANC) candidate list, released to the media by ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe in Kempton Park on Wednesday.
There were no surprises at the top, with Jacob Zuma and Kgalema Motlanthe occupying the top two positions.
Manuel featured at number four, followed by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
Madikizela-Mandela has a fraud conviction hanging over her, though this did not present a problem to the party as its consultation with lawyers found that there was ”no legal reason to exclude her”.
”We knew that there would be a lot of interest [in Madikizela-Mandela]. We did look into her case … we consulted lawyers on the basis of that … and the lawyers found no legal reason to exclude her,” Mantashe said.
There was a strong chance that Motlanthe would remain in government but as the deputy president of the country.
Mantashe said it was reasonable to assume that the deputy president of the ANC, a position occupied by Motlanthe at present, would be the deputy president of the country.
Current Deputy President of South Africa Baleka Mbete came in at number three on the ruling party’s list.
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was number 25, while the wife of fraud convict Tony Yengeni, Lumka Yengeni, was at number 38.
Former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka does not feature at all in the party’s top 100 list. Reports indicate that she was being wooed by the Congress of the People to join the breakaway party.
The top 50 names on the list presented by Mantashe would not change. However, there may be minor changes to the balance.
All those on the list had accepted their nominations, said Mantashe. — Sapa