Ramaphosa tight-lipped on Makhura, Lesufi backs Gauteng premier’s tenure

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has remained tight-lipped on the question of whether or not Gauteng premier, David Makhura has been booted from office.

This comes after the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) of the ANC in Gauteng reportedly met on Friday to discuss Makhura’s future.

Makhura is expected to bow out following Gauteng education, MEC Panyaza Lesufi’s election as the chairperson of the provincial party in June this year.

Lesufi beat Gauteng Cogta MEC Lebogang Maile for the position since Makhura did not contest the top job.

‘Pre-empt anything’

Asked whether Makhura would ascend to the ANC’s top six leadership ahead of the ruling party’s 55th ANC national elective conference in December, Ramaphosa said he did not want to “pre-empt anything”.

“I have heard of the discussions of the PEC [and those] discussions still needs to be taken upstairs to the officials of the NWC [National Working Committee].

“That is the process that we have in the African National Congress,” he told the media during the ANC’s Letsema campaign in Delmas, Mpumalanga on Saturday.

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“It’s a fully-fledged, consultative [and] democratic process that must ensue so I will be waiting together with the other officials for a report of what has transpired.

“With all our provinces whenever they want to change anyone they come and give us the reason. They will explain everything in full, table every argument and then we mull over that then a decision is to go forward. So I don’t want to pre-empt anything,” Ramaphosa continued to say.

‘He will still be premier’

Meanwhile, Lesufi has insisted that Makhura would remain as Gauteng premier.

Speaking to the media at the 38th commemoration of the Vaal Uprising held in Sebokeng on Saturday, the MEC said the ANC remained confident in Makhura leading the Gauteng province.

“As I speak to you, David Makhura is about to leave the country to go and represent our provincial government outside the country. By the time, David Makhura comes back, he will still be premier of the province.

“We are not persuading the premier to resign. We are not even doubting the capability, talent and skill of our premier,” Lesufi said.

READ MORE: ‘We will not elbow him out of govt’ – Lesufi has no intention of taking over from Makhura before 2024

He indicated that the provincial party would provide an update on Sunday regarding the decisions taken by the PEC.

“We are saying jointly with the premier and the ANC, we will take South Africans in confidence tomorrow at 12pm on how this particular process will be managed,” the MEC said.

Makhura previously indicated he was planning to finish his term as premier, but also said he would step down if asked by the ANC.

“We have discussed this in the PEC. I still have to complete my term, which ends in 2024, unless the ANC determines otherwise. These things are decisions of the ANC. But we are going to be working hard for the people of Gauteng,” he said.