ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe addresses the media after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting discussing a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma on November 29, 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mantashe announced that the NEC did not support the call for President Zuma to resign. (Photo by Gallo Images / Daily Sun / Jabu Kumalo).
The Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma camp has reportedly booted ANC general-secretary Gwede Mantashe off their slate following public statements rallying behind Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The faction wanted Mantashe to replace Baleka Mbete at the ANC elective conference in December, The Sowetan has reported.
They told the publication that while they were still discussing who should be nominated to what position, they decided during one of their meetings this week that Mantashe would no longer be part of the team, as “it was clear he supports” Ramaphosa.
Mpumalanga leader David Mabuza has reportedly been nominated as Mantashe’s replacement , joining Ace Magashule and Nathi Mthethwa.
Mantashe recently took to Twitter to share his views on the succession debate in the ANC.
He made it clear it would be in the best interests of the party to follow tradition and for President Jacob Zuma to hand over the reins to his deputy in the ANC and the republic, Cyril Ramaphosa.
It is widely understood that Zuma favours his former wife and now ANC MP Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Mantashe, who addressed the United African Apostolic Church service in Venda on Sunday, tweeted: “We have our own problems, the church should pray for us,” before going on to make more openly political statements.
He pointed to the tradition of handover in the ANC in the past.
“When Tambo handed over to Mandela, that was smooth. Mandela handed over to Mbeki. When Mbeki resisted, there was a crises [sic].”
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