ANC team throws weight behind the presidency for second term
The ANC presidency, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and his deputy, the Mpumalanga-born David Mabuza, is tentatively getting a thumbs-up from some quarters in the province for a second term of office.
MBOMBELA – The ANC is expected to host its national conference in December or even earlier, when delegates will have the opportunity of electing their preferred leadership.
With this national conference coming up, a number of districts and provinces have started a succession race debate, with some calling for the current president to run for second term.
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A big debate, though, is around the position of the deputy president. The name of another Mpumalanga-born, Ronald Lamola, has been thrown into the race for the party’s second-highest position. Lamola’s mentor and father figure, Mabuza has already indicated that he is also up for a second term should branches of the ANC give him the mandate.
Even though history favours Mabuza as he has never lost a conference before, Lamola cannot be taken lightly, either. Speaking during a press conference held at Protea Hotel in Mbombela on Sunday, some members of Mpumalanga ANC, led by Peter Nyoni, Richard Mabuza, Moses Sikhosana and Nkulumo Sibambo, threw their weight behind Ramaphosa and David for a second term ahead of the national conference.
“Well, the constitution of the ANC guarantees its members to stand for election for any position in the organisation. And so, if Cde Lamola says he is available for a particular position in the ANC, we believe that it is his democratic right to stand.
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“But in terms of our renewal and unity project as advanced by our President Ramaphosa, we thought it would be in the best interests of the ANC that the presidency should be allowed to run for a second term, in order to continue the project of renewal and unity in the country,” said Nyoni.
He said their observation so far has been that the presidency as a collective is on the right track to rebuild this gigantic liberation movement.
“Because so far, our observation is that they are doing well, and secondly, it is tradition within the ANC that we allow our leaders to serve for a second term. It was only Mandela who served only one term in office. Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma served two terms, so why can’t Ramaphosa and his deputy be allowed to serve two terms?”
Speaking a few weeks ago during an event hosted by Cosatu, the deputy president said the ANC should not be distracted from its mission to renew and regenerate itself. “We are prepared to take criticism and we are prepared to correct.
The ANC has the capacity to self-correct. We have to gather new strength, new courage to take the movement into a new path, and it will happen,” said David.
