Limpopo ANC secretary Reuben Madadzhe says there was never a decision by the provincial leadership to dump Cyril Ramaphosa for Zweli Mkhize in the race for party president. 

He released a statement on Sunday as more than 4,000 ANC delegates prepare to vote for the party’s new leadership at its national conference. 

It follows circulation of a video portraying deputy chair Florence Radzilani instructing delegates to vote for Mkhize. Radzilani was recorded in the clip telling Limpopo delegates there was a decision to support Mkhize for president. 

This was in reference to the long-standing view of leaders in Limpopo that Ramaphosa has never publicly pledged allegiance with the new leadership led by chair Stan Mathabatha despite their continued endorsement of his leadership. 

There was a move by some senior leaders in the province to dupe Ramaphosa by publicly endorsing him while secretly instructing or lobbying delegates to vote for Mkhize.

This was despite Ramaphosa receiving overwhelming support from ANC branches during the nomination process. 

Madadzhe said the provincial executive committee had not deserted the outcomes of the branch nominations. 

“The ANC Limpopo PEC hereby distances itself from such an assertion as it is not a true reflection of the ANC PEC decision and or branch general meetings [BGMs]. At no stage [did] the ANC Limpopo PEC meet and decide along those lines,” Madadzhe said in relation to Radzilani’s instruction to support Mkhize. 

“The ANC Limpopo province stands by its decision and also supports the outcomes of Limpopo BGMs which affirmed comrade Cyril Ramaphosa for president, Paul Mashatile  deputy president, comrade Ndumiseni Ntuli secretary-general, comrade Nomvula Mokonyane deputy secretary-general, Chauke Bejani treasurer-general and comrade Stanley Mathabatha as the preferred national chairperson.”

Madadzhe urged delegates at the conference to elect leaders according to the mandate given by their respective branches. 

The tussle over who to support has exposed divisions in the Limpopo leadership less than six months after it was elected overwhelmingly at the provincial conference.

It was not immediately clear which line of thinking delegates will follow as some have pledged loyalty to Radzilani while others undertook not to disobey branch directives. 

It will become clearer when results from the voting for the top seven are announced on Sunday evening. 

Here is a list of all the candidates:

President:

• ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa; and
• ANC national executive committee (NEC) member Zweli Mkhize. 

Deputy president:

• ANC treasurer-general and acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile;
• ANC NEC member and justice minister Ronald Lamola; and
• Eastern Cape premier and ANC provincial chair Oscar Mabuyane.

National chairperson:

• Limpopo premier and ANC provincial chair Stanley Mathabatha;
• ANC national chair and minister of mineral resources and energy Gwede Mantashe;
• ANC NEC member and deputy finance minister David Masondo.

Secretary-general:

• Former KwaZulu-Natal ANC secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli;
• Former Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle; and
• ANC head of elections and transport minister Fikile Mbalula.

1st deputy secretary-general:

• ANC NEC member and the party’s national head of organising Nomvula Mokonyane;
• ANC MP and NEC member Tina Joemat-Pettersson.

2nd deputy secretary-general:

• ANCWL national co-ordinator Maropene Ramokgopa; and
• ANC member Ronalda Nalumango.

Treasurer-general:

• ANC member and Ramaphosa’s special adviser Bejani Chauke;
• ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe;
• ANC Ekurhuleni regional chairperson and former mayor Mzwandile Masina; and
• ANC NEC and NWC member Gwen Ramokgopa

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