Gigaba and Mbalula tipped for ANC leadership roles: report
The ANC is searching for fresh youthful leadership following its poor performance at this months local elections, with former ANC Youth League leaders, Malusi Gigaba and Fikile Mbalula being touted to take up senior positions within the organisation.
This is according to a new report from the Mail & Guardian, which said that two factions have emerged amid renewed succession debate ahead of the ANC’s elective conference in 2017.
One faction supports Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as the next president of the organisation, with current Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, as her deputy, while Sports Minister, Mbalula, would replace Gwede Mantashe as secretary general.
Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, would also have a senior role within this faction, M&G reported.
The other faction would see members of the so-called ‘premier league’ including Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza, North West premier Supra Mahumapelo and Free State premier Ace Magashule take up senior roles.
Mabuza would become deputy president, while Magashule would become ANC chairperson, the paper reported.
The M&G said it spoke to five senior ANC leaders – three NEC members and two provincial executive committee members – who confirmed the push to find younger leaders to play a bigger role within the organisation.
The ANC’s national executive committee is expected to meet this weekend in Pretoria to discuss the election results. The party’s share of the vote fell to 54.4%, from 62% in the previous municipal elections, its worst showing since the dawn of democracy in 1994.
The share of the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) rose to 26.2% from 24%, and support for the radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) stood at 7.9%, only moderately above the 6.4% in the 2014 national election (the EFF was founded in 2013).
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, along with other politicians such as deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa and Baleka Mbete, have been pegged as possible future leaders of the ANC and the country.
Zuma has reportedly backed Dlamini-Zuma, his ex-wife, for the position and has been campaigning for her behind the scenes.
However, the anti-Zuma camp within the ANC have reportedly backed Ramaphosa for the position, said to be eager to rid the party of Zuma’s legacy. Ramaphosa is seen as the most favourable candidate to lead the party, according to polls.
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