The knives are out for Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale as some provincial and national ANC leaders push to remove him as ANC provincial chairperson during the party’s provincial elective conference in few months’ time.
Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaahla and the former provincial executive committee member in Limpopo, Joe Mathebula, have emerged as the strongest contenders for the position.
Mathale has been under pressure since he took over as ANC chair in 2008, with his provincial political rivals accusing him of closing them out of government business opportunities.
The Limpopo premier has also been accused of allowing ANC Youth League president Julius Malema to run the province.
The ANC lobby group to remove Mathale is allegedly led and supported by ANC provincial secretary Joe Maswanganyi, former youth league Limpopo chairperson Lehlogonolo Masoga, Mathebula, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, Phaahla, Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi and Monitoring and Evaluation Minister Collins Chabane.
ANC leaders sympathetic to Mathale told the Mail & Guardian this week that the lobby group believed it enjoyed the support of President Jacob Zuma.
Limpopo is regarded as one of the provinces that will have an influence on the outcome of the ANC’s crucial 2012 elective conference in Mangaung next year.
Those who are pushing for the removal of Mathale believe he is likely to back Malema and the youth league on leadership and policy issues ahead of the ANC conference.
The youth league has indicated it might support ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe to replace Zuma as ANC president and Fikile Mbalula for the position of party secretary general.
The M&G understands there have been attempts by senior ANC leaders in the past few months to remove Mathale as premier, but the moves failed as other ANC national executive committee members objected.
“They [those who are pushing for Mathale’s removal] think they are the rightful people to lead the province. Most of them were aligned to Sello Moloto [former Limpopo premier and ANC chairman]. They think the majority of current leaders do not have a track record in the ANC.
They also want to influence the next ANC national conference. They don’t share the perspective of the ANCYL to support Mbalula. Limpopo is being targeted. Those who are close to Zuma mislead him that the current leadership will dump him,” said an ANC provincial executive committee member close to Mathale.
However, those calling for change believe they are obliged to save the ANC from Mathale and his comrades.
Mathale told the M&G this week that he was aware of moves to remove him as ANC chairman. He said ANC members should be given the chance to choose their preferred leaders.
The date for the conference has not been finalised.