Mabuza rebukes Ace Magashule for ‘breaking ANC rules’

According to a report on Tuesday, the honeymoon period in the happy marriage of convenience in the ANC known as the Premier League may be coming to an end after Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza rebuked Ace Magashule publicly.

He said the free state premier should not have punted him for the position of deputy president in the party, saying it was “uncalled for”.

The other premier in the group is North West’s Supra Mahumapelo. They are strongly aligned with President Jacob Zuma, but difference have emerged about who they think should lead the party after December.

Magashule, also the Free State ANC chairperson, while speaking at Mabuza’s brother’s funeral at the weekend reportedly told ANC members that if they wanted Mabuza as the next deputy president, they should elect him.

Business Day has reported that Mabuza described Magashule’s comments as uncalled for at a media briefing on Monday.

FILE PIC: Ace Magashule. (Photo by Gallo Images / City Press / Leon Sadiki)

He said he was behind the ANC’s directive to not openly name candidates for positions yet.

“I do not have to respond about the premier of Free State, all I can tell him is that do not break the rule of the ANC in my name. I hear people are talking in corners about me … there might be good and bad intentions,” he was quoted as saying.

Despite the ANC’s directive, senior party leaders have been mentioning successors to Zuma left and right, with both the ANC Women’s League and Youth League making public statements on the matter, and Zuma himself saying it is time for a female president, understood to be an endorsement of his former wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.