Dlamini-Zuma camp scores major victory in Limpopo

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma's presidential ambition received a major boost when an ANC faction supporting her won the Mopani region last weekend.

The elective conference for Limpopo's biggest ANC region was held at Karibu Lodge in Tzaneen .

Dlamini-Zuma's supporter Pule Shayi beat Cyril Ramaphosa's alleged ally and MEC for economic development Seaparo Sekoati with 155 to 131 votes to ascend the chairman throne.

Shayi's success was spearheaded by Dlamini-Zuma emissaries Limpopo ANC deputy secretary and human settlements MEC Makoma Makhurupetje and Mopani district mayor Nkakareng Rakgoale.

Three ANC heavyweights in the province said Makhurupetje started political horse trading at the conference when she approached the Shayi camp and demanded that his deputy Violet Mathye be removed from the slate and replaced by her trusted lieutenant Garrison Molapisane.

"When Violet refused, Makhurupetje said the Sekoati camp was willing to give Molapisane the position and threatened to withdraw support from them if they didn't comply with her demands," said the member. Another member said that after the discussions Rakgoale, who was to contest Sekoati's backer and former Greater Tzaneen local municipality mayor Dikeledi Mmetle for the treasurer position, withdrew from the contest in favour of Molapisane.

"That changed the balance of forces completely because Makhurupetje immediately convinced her supporters to vote with Shayi's supporters and won the conference. But we just want to thank comrade Nkakareng for her political maturity because had she not agreed to step aside in favour of comrade Garrison we would have lost," said the member.

Another member said Makhurupetje played her game like a chess genius, also revealing that she was paving a way for her own ambition to become Limpopo's first female premier.

Mopani regional secretary Basikopo Makamu downplayed allegations that Makhurupetje demanded the inclusion of Molapisane in the top five and threatened to withdraw her support if they failed to comply with her demands.

"It has been a long-held view that Molapisane should be part of the top five. Nkakareng volunteered to step aside to accommodate this view.

"It is not like Makoma came to us on the eve of conference and made demands," he said.

Makamu said the region was still to announce their preferred candidate between Ramaphosa and Dlamini-Zuma.