The results of the ANC’s elective conference this weekend has raised concerns about the lack of national representation within the ruling party’s highest echelons.
President Cyril Ramaphosa beat Zweli Mkhize for the party leadership while Paul Mashatile was elected deputy president, Gwede Mantashe retained the chairperson position, Fikile Mbalula became secretary-general, Nomvula Mokonyane first deputy secretary-general, Maropene Ramokgopa second deputy secretary-general, and Gwen Ramokgopa was elected treasurer-general.
Most of the elected senior leaders hail from Gauteng, leading to political analyst Professor Lesiba Teffo noting that the party had missed an opportunity to have a better spread of national representatives among its Top Seven.
“I am uneasy with the spread of national representation in the Top Seven, it is concentrated in Gauteng and that province is over represented.
“A limping ANC, a divided party, is not good for the country. I would have been happier with a greater representation across all the nine provinces.
“The ANC is not only divided but it is also not representative of the country,” said Teffo.
The party’s outgoing deputy president David Mabuza, who hails from Mpumalanga, was nominated from the floor but declined his nomination.
Ace Magashule, the former secretary general and former premier of the Free State, was suspended according to the party’s step aside regulations and left in the cold.
During this weekend’s elections Stan Mathabatha, the chairperson of Limpopo ANC, received 2018 votes but these were not enough to challenge Gwede Mantashe who received 2062 votes.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane received 1858 votes compared to Mashatile’s 2178.
Deputy minister of public enterprises Phumulo Masualle from the Eastern Cape received 1590 votes and former KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli 1080 in the contest for secretary-general which they lost to Mbalula who got 1692 votes.