/ 29 April 2009

Mashatile tops ANC Gauteng premier list

The Gauteng African National Congress (ANC) on Wednesday recommended three people for the position of provincial premier.

”We have unanimously recommended the provincial chairperson, comrade Paul Mashatile, as the Gauteng’s preferred candidate for the position of the premier of Gauteng.

”The Provincial Executive Committee also recommended experienced comrades, deputy chairperson comrades Nomvula Mokonyane and deputy provincial secretary Mandla Nkomfe as the other nominees to the ANC NEC [national executive committee] for the position of provincial premier,” the party said in a statement.

The committee nominated the ANC Gauteng provincial treasurer Lindiwe Maseko as the speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and Stewart Ngwenya as the deputy speaker.

”We are confident that their 15 years of experience as provincial parliamentarians will ensure a continued high standard of legislature oversight of government work.”

The party thanked the voters for a ”renewed mandate” and assured them that they were now ready and ”willing to improve service delivery, create decent work and build a safer province”.

”We have done a great deal to improve the quality of life of our people. We are acutely aware of the challenges of poverty and inequality which remain.

”The ANC is confident that working together with the people of Gauteng, we can and will do more.”

The ANC attributed its success to the unity, commitment and dedication of itself and alliance structures in Gauteng.

”We fought an energetic, creative campaign focused on relevant voter concerns and issues. We want to thank our team of more than 22 000 volunteers for working tirelessly with creativity and selfless dedication to the cause of the ANC.” — Sapa