Traditions of ANC are broken by people who are expected to protect them, such as Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa who pronounced on his slate on Sunday during a rally in Sekhukhune, Limpopo.

However, traditions of the ANC will not assist him with anything but will instead trigger a backlash from the party branches at the conference next month. Ramaphosa will regret leaving out premier of Mpumalanga David Mabuza out of his slate.

Mabuza is a kingmaker with united and strong branches behind him. So Ramaphosa, by excluding him, made a mistake he will never forget in his life.

Ramaphosa surprised not only his comrades but the entire country and ANC structures by announcing Naledi Pandor as his deputy. Pandor might be an intellectual and hard-working individual but branches of ANC don't know much about her.

While Pandor does not display political ambition, Mabuza is ambitious and plays his cards close to his chest. ANC branches, particularly the campaigners of Ramaphosa, see his choice of Pandor as imposition.

Reason being that when Ramaphosa leaves, Pandor must become president, if the so-called tradition of the party is followed as it is currently referred to by those preaching Ramaphosa's succession of President Jacob Zuma. The question is, how long will the traditions of the ANC be followed, with so many threats posed to them?

Sam Difoe Magana, Mahikeng