Motsepe nominated to face Cyril for ANC leadership

Mining magnate Patrice Motsepe may be added to the list of ANC bigwigs vying for the position of party president at the 55th ANC elective conference next month.

An ANC branch in Maandagshoek outside the mining town of Burgersfort in Limpopo nominated Motsepe for the party’s top job over the weekend.

If Motsepe’s nomination gains support from other provinces, he will join challengers such as Zweli Mkhize, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Lindiwe Sisulu, who will be seeking to deprive President Cyril Ramaphosa of his second term bid as ANC president.

The Unity Makeleng Magane Branch of the ANC in Maandagshoek nominated Motsepe over the weekend.

Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, branch deputy chair Emmanuel Makgoga said the branch meeting was held on Tuesday and the branch is the first in the country to nominate Motsepe.

Calls for Motsepe to replace Ramphosa

He said the Unity 2022 group, which has footprints across the country, has been calling for Motsepe to replace the current ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa since last year.

Makgoka, also a branch delegate to the ANC elective conference in December, said Motsepe, a brother-in-law of Ramaphosa, has proven to be ready to take the ANC to greater heights, provide unity and get all ANC cadres on the same page regarding policies.

“Motsepe has no record of corruption and is the best bigwig to save the ANC in the 2024 general elections,” said Makgoga.

Family ties

Ramaphosa is married to Motsepe’s sister, Tshepo Motsepe.

Yesterday, the Limpopo ANC said a total 553 branches have already held their branch general meeting (BGMs). A total of 430 of them had already qualified to participate in the conference.

A total of 129 branches in the districts of Norman Mashabane, Vhembe, Sekhukhune, Peter Mokaba and Waterberg were yet to hold their BGMs.

More nominations

Makgoga said Motsepe is expected to gain more nominations this weekend during branch general meetings.

Yesterday, the Limpopo ANC said party branches have the right to nominate any person of their choice to be part of the NEC, as long as such member qualifies.

The PEC said branch nominations will be consolidated by the IEC, which will check if nominated members meet the requirements to stand for election.

“The choice of any branch during nominations should be respected,” Limpopo ANC PEC spokesperson Jimmy Machaka said.

Machaka said he was confident that 90% of branches would nominate Ramaphosa and would vote to ensure he gets a second term as ANC

president.

Machaka said more than 70% of branches successfully convened their BGMs.

ALSO READ: Limpopo organisation wants ‘Motsepe for ANC presidency’

– news@citizen.co.za