Embattled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has been elected to the powerful Limpopo provincial executive committee (PEC), the Elexions Agency announced on Tuesday.
Despite earlier objections from certain delegates, mainly supporters of Deputy Arts and Culture Minister Joe Phaahla, Malema received 592 votes from conference delegates.
Phaahla lost the contest for the position of ANC provincial chair on Sunday to incumbent Cassel Mathale, who is regarded as Malema’s close ally.
The Onkgopotse Tiro hall at the University of Limpopo erupted into song, ululation and dance when Malema’s name was confirmed to have made it to the PEC.
The entire 20-member PEC consists of Mathale’s supporters.
These include former member of the SA Communist Party politburo and the current provincial minister of finance David Masondo, who received the second highest number of votes at 638, after Lydia Komape’s 641 votes.
Limpopo’s local government and housing head of department (HOD) and SABC board member Clifford Motsepe also made it to the PEC with 597 votes.
Provincial economic development minister Pitse Moloto was also elected to the PEC with 630 votes.
The party’s electoral commissioner Mathole Motshekga said the national executive committee members who were deployed at the conference were satisfied with the electoral process, adding that the election of Limpopo PEC members went smoothly without any irregularities.
Motshekga dismissed allegations made by Phaahla and his supporters that there were irregularities during the electoral process.
His comments follow a decision by Phaahla to lodge a dispute with the office of ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe about alleged irregularities during registration and verification of credentials.