Newly re-elected ANC Limpopo provincial chairperson Stan Mathabatha says he will not go for the premier position for the third time.

Speaking at a media briefing soon after his re-election, Mathabatha said even though he won the ANC provincial race, he does not want to go for another term as premier.

“Even if I go for third term [in the ANC], I won’t go for third term in government. There are laws about this, you can’t be premier for three times.

“All other areas of deployment are there. There are no two centers of power. We’ll not have two centers of power,” Mathabatha said.

Out of 1172 votes cast,Mathabatha received 781 votes while his opponent Dickson Masemola received 389.

There was one spoilt ballot and one absentia.

Other provincial leaders elected on Saturday include Reuben Madadzhe who beat former provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane.

Florence Radzilani was elected deputy chair, Basikopo Makamu as deputy secretary and Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana treasurer.

Mathabatha’s opponent Masemola is currently service as the public works MEC.

When asked if a cabinet reshuffle was in the works, Mathabatha shut it down, saying the province had an executive council that was assessed on an annual basis.

“There are executive council reviews that happen every year. It can't be informed by politics of going to conferences of the ANC.

"This is not the first time comrade Dickson contested. That in itself doesn't mean anything to deployment in government. It's based on executive review.

“We don't have reshuffle on the cards currently. If it does [happen] it'll be based on that review. That would be very mean.”

Supporters of Mathabatha have indicated a victory over the weekend would be a springboard to parachute him to the national executive committee (NEC).

One of those regional leaders that spoke to SowetanLIVE said the goal was to see Mathabatha head to national office at the elective conference in December.

“Even, in our top five, you have two women and this province has never had a Venda speaking female chairperson. This is why Radzilani is very important. There might be history in the making.

“There’s already history in the making because you have two females represented in the top five,” the insider said.

Mathabatha however, played coy when asked about his NEC ambitions.

“My concentration and focus is on the position of chairperson.

“I don't have an appetite of going to Luthuli House.  If I go there, it'll be because comrades have nominated me.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to close conference on Sunday after the rest of additional PEC members have been announced.

Mathabatha previously expressed his support for Ramaphosa to serve for a second term.