Mahumapelo says Magashule ‘shouldn’t have left’ ANC

Former North West premier and ANC MP Supra Mahumapelo believes there is still time to persuade former president Thabo Mbeki to campaign for the ANC in the 2024 elections.

In August, speaking during a dialogue at the University of South Africa which was hosted by the Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs, the former statesman said unless the ANC renewed itself, he was not prepared to campaign for the party ahead of the elections.

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It is also still in doubt whether another former president, Jacob Zuma, will campaign for the ANC, as he has also expressed his unhappiness with ANC leader, President Cyril Ramaphosa. Those in Zuma’s province, KwaZulu-Natal, also felt that the ANC had neglected him.

ANC must approach former presidents

Speaking exclusively to The Citizen, Mahumapelo said the ANC needed to convince Mbeki, Zuma and former president Kgalema Motlanthe to campaign for the party. He said Mbeki had not told them he wouldn’t.

“He hasn’t said that to the NEC, he said that publicly. The general approach here is that the leadership must engage (former) presidents Zuma, Mbeki and Motlanthe,” he said.

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“Whatever issues they want to raise with the current leadership, it must be raised internally … I think that’s the best approach.”

The charismatic former premier is not without his own scandals and still awaits a decision of the ANC disciplinary committee after he defied the party in parliament and voted for the Phala Phala report by retired chief justice Sandile Ngcobo to be adopted.

Asked whether he thought it was necessary to discipline him, he said the ANC should discipline members who do not stick to what the ANC stood for.

It had also been anticipated he would defy the party in not voting for former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s impeachment. However, he voted for Mkhwebane to be removed.

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“There was an NEC position on that matter; all of us were required to stick to that position,” he said. “In the ANC, it’s not about whether you agree or not, or how you feel about a decision … you must abide by the decision.”

Mahumapelo: ‘Magashule shouldn’t have left’

Mahumapelo, a supporter of former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, also weighed in on his departure from the party.

“I had discussions with comrade Ace no less than six times on that matter. I still say he shouldn’t have left,” Mahumapelo said.

“I said to comrade Ace, we are parting ways now and you are going to form an organisation (in opposition to) the ANC, and that’s where we ended it.”

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He said he was confident the ANC would not lose power in the North West but needed to work to win convincingly nationally.

“We are going to win. Yes, there are pockets of challenges and the ANC must be up to the challenge, to deal with those challenges as part of renewal.”