Ramaphosa urged to intervene in “leaderless” Limpopo ANC’s PEC

Limpopo ANC’s Vhembe region has pleaded with President Cyril Ramaphosa to make an urgent intervention in what they call a “leaderless” Limpopo ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC) and the province’s administration.

The residents, comprising ANC branches, community leaders, religious and traditional leaders and ordinary citizens told Ramaphosa that Limpopo ANC was dying a natural death and very fast. This they said happened soon after the party’s December national elective conference, held at Nasrec last year. The angry residents said the latter has also affected service delivery and impacted on their livelihood.

“We are pleading with you Mr President, an urgent intervention is needed in the Limpopo ANC and the Limpopo provincial government. We say this to you Mr President because we do not see any leadership in Limpopo,” the residents told Ramaphosa during his visit to Christ Worship House Church, near Tshidizini Hospital, outside Thohoyandou on Saturday.

Ramaphosa was in the province with members of the ANC’s national working committee (NWC) and the party’s national executive committee (NEC) who spent the whole week assessing the state of governance in Limpopo.

ALSO SEE: ANC out in Mangaung as opposition parties install new mayor

Limpopo ANC chair and premier and his deputy must apologise

Ward 31 branch leader in the Makhado sub-region, Sipho Masuku told Ramaphosa that Limpopo ANC chair and premier, Stan Mathabtha and his deputy, Florence Radzilane must apologise to him for betraying him. He asked they must also apologise for betraying the branches of the ANC at Nasrec.

Masuku said the two leaders have also betrayed the province.

“Instead of carrying the mandate of the branches to Nasrec, they served their own interests and not that of the branches. Branches had told them to support and vote for Ramaphosa for a second term but instead they made a U-turn and announced their unwavering support to former health minister Zweli Mkhize for president. “That is betrayal and action must be taken sooner than later,” he said.

Mike Mukoma, secretary for the ANC in the Thulamela sub-region also called for regime change.

“We can’t have leaders that we can no longer trust. The PEC of the ANC is the leader of government. They are the face of the province because they are in the forefront. Today we are laughingstock of the nation because our leaders could not carry out a similar assignment,” he said.

Mike further accused Mathabatha of being an absent premier. He is no longer seen anywhere. We are saying to you Mr President change is good and very essential.  We are pleading to you Mr president to intervene urgently,” he said.

ALSO SEE: Limpopo ANC: Officials could be charged for not implementing Motlanthe’s orders

Speaker after speaker, including pensioners and youth alike, all called for Ramaphosa to do something about the Limpopo ANC, its leadership and the provincial administration.

But chairperson for Sombandila branch in Musina sub-region, Fisto’s Mafela begged to differ.

“The policy of the ANC is clear. It says we must all rally behind the elected leadership that won the conference, including those who had a different view on leadership preference.

“The writing is on the wall. The reason there is contestation during elective conferences means members of the ANC can lobby each other openly. Lobbying and having a different view in terms of leadership is never a crime in the ANC. So Mathabatha and Radzilane were within their constitutional right to express their views openly. So hands off our leaders,” said Mafela.

Pastor calms volatile situation

The Mathanatha debacle nearly degenerated into a shouting match between temperamental members and ordinary citizens.

But chairperson for the Vhembe Pastors Forum, Pastor Ronald Magoma calmed the situation that was already volatile.

He said a good and prosperous community is the one that differs in ideas but seek to engage each other in a peacefully manner around the table. He called on residents to apply caution and discipline in every debate.

In response, Ramaphosa echoed Mafela’s words and said one of the main principles of the ANC was to renew the ANC and not to destroy the movement. He said he had a meeting during his first visit to Limpopo after his December re-election and agreed in principle to continue working together with everyone for the sake of the unity of the organisation.

During a media interview after the session when answering questions from journalists, Ramaphosa said there was no planned disbandment of the Limpopo PEC or administration. “We are still going to sit down as a collective and assess the state of the province, which is why we are here,” he said.

-news@citizen.co.za