Battle for ANC top six down to wire

Cape Town - Only two women have made it to the list of 16 names vying for the ANC top six positions at the party’s elective conference to be held between December 16 and 20.

The party’s electoral committee put forward national executive committee member Nomvula Mokonyane and the general manager at Luthuli House, Febe Potgieter-Gqubule, as the two women nominated for the position of deputy secretary-general.

This casts a shadow over the party which has yet to achieve its much talked-about gender parity in its top six.

Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Lindiwe Sisulu, Nkhensani Mmamoloko Kubayi and Thandi Modise failed to make the cut in the top six nominations despite reports that they had been nominated by some branches.

Explaining the failure to adhere to the 50-50 gender representation in the top six nominations, former president Kgalema Motlanthe said the gender parity rule could not apply as the top officials were not a structure.

“Because it is nominations from structures, it is not possible to enforce that, but with regard to the nomination of the rest of the NEC (national executive committee) the 50-50 gender parity applies,” he said.

Motlanthe said the 50-50 parity rule would be enforced in each province’s submission of candidates for additional NEC members.

“So in the final ballot paper that (gender parity) would have been factored in,” he said.

Motlanthe said the names that had been nominated and audited successfully.

This was after 3 543 out of 3 982 branches in good standing had held successful branch general meetings.

Motlanthe said each of the candidates had confirmed acceptance of the nominations.

He also said the rules allowed for a vetting process to determine whether the criteria set had been met by those elected to the NEC.

This included checking whether nominees were members in good standing with an uninterrupted membership for a period of 10 years and criminal records.

“Those processes with regard to the top six nominations have been completed. That is why we are ready to share the names with you,” Motlanthe said.

Mokonyane received a majority of nominations for deputy secretary position with 1 779 votes, while Potgieter-Gqubule obtained 905.

President Cyril Ramaphosa received 2 037 nominations and is set to face a challenge from former health minister Zweli Mkhize, who received 916 nominations.

Treasurer-general Paul Mashatile leads in the nominations for the deputy president position with 1 791 votes, followed by Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola with 427 nominations and Eastern Cape chairperson Oscar Mabuyane with 397.

Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha received 1 492 nominations for the position of national chairperson, followed by the incumbent, Gwede Mantashe, with 979 nominations and Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo with 501.

Former KwaZulu-Natal secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli leads in the nominations for the secretary-general position with 1 225 votes, followed by Public Enterprises Deputy Minister Phumulo Masualle with 889 and Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula with 749.

Three candidates were nominated for the position of treasurer-general.

They are Ramaphosa’s controversial political adviser Bejani Chauke with 552 nominations, ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe with 428 votes and former Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina with 348.

Motlanthe said the process of nominations was not complete yet. “At the conference itself there will be an opportunity for delegates to nominate from the floor,” he said, adding that any names that received the support of 25% of ANC branches would be included on the ballot paper.

Deputy President David Mabuza, notably, did not feature in the approved nominations.

Electoral committee secretary Livhuwani Matsila said disputes could be lodged via the electoral committee until Friday.

Matsila said the door for women nominations in the top six was not closed, and it was something for the conference to consider.

“We think they have a right to nominate from the floor,” he said.

Matsila insisted that the party would ensure that 50-50 gender representation was complied with for NEC additional members’ nominations.

Political analyst Sandile Swana said some organisations, such as the ANC, called themselves progressive but their leadership was patriarchal.

“The tradition of male leadership is there. In the ANC, DA and major parties, patriarchal leadership is still prized and unfortunately men, in one way or the other, are still in power even if they are a minority.

The same women will still vote for them,” Swana told a broadcaster.

Cape Times