ANC’s RET faction wants Mahumapelo back in the NW saddle

Members of the ANC’s radical economic transformation (RET) faction in North West are planning a last-ditch Stalingrad campaign to prevent Cyril Ramphosa’s faction gaining the upper hand at the upcoming provincial elective conference.

According to an impeccable ANC source in the province, the RET people are allegedly behind the postponement of the conference, initially scheduled for this weekend, to August. They have been mobilising for support to return their hero, Supra Mahumapelo, to power in the province … although his backing is weak this time around.

The politician is said to be still wielding some influence in North West but his poor nomination support bothered the RET members, who want to rock the boat. Mahumapelo is an unapologetic supporter of former president Jacob Zuma and a close ally of the suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, a vocal Ramaphosa opponent. Their idea is to get enough time to mobilise support for the RET before the conference.

“They have accused the interim provincial committee (IPC) coordinator Hlomane Chauke, and former MEC Nono Maloyi of rigging the conference process and demanded it be postponed. Chauke has agreed to that,” the source said.

Several branches staged a siting at the ANC’s Luthuli House head office demanding the conference be postponed until all outstanding branch electoral disputes in North West are resolved. They claimed the nomination process was rigged.

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But Luthuli House wants all provincial conferences concluded before the national policy conference, scheduled for the end of July. The RET grouping is concerned Mahumapelo is not in charge anymore and his support has dropped dramatically after he was sidelined by Luthuli House. Instead, his former ally and now political arch-rival Maloyi is leading the race for the ANC provincial chair.

The source said Maloyi’s strong comeback worried the RET faction, hence they made many claims of rigging. With their victory in KwaZulu-Natal a given, but with weak support in other provinces, the RET faction cannot afford to lose North West and Free State, where Ramaphosa’s support has gained momentum.

In the Free State, the Ramaphosa camp was on the brink of winning, either through Mxolisi Dukwana or Thabo Manyoni, while the RET had not yet fielded a candidate.

Mahumapelo was ousted as ANC North West provincial chair and premier and then redeployed to the National Assembly where he chairs the tourism portfolio committee. His removal followed massive service delivery protests and he was replaced by Job Mokgoro. His entire provincial executive committee was replaced by the IPC, with Chauke as coordinator. This curtailed influence in the province.

Mahumapelo is facing stiff competition from Maloyi, premier Bushy Maape, finance MEC Motlalepula Rosho and economicdevelopment MEC Kenetswe Mosenogi – who all contested under the Ramaphosa ticket.

Maloyi’s electoral slate listed Lazzy Mokgosi as deputy chair, Sipho Dial as secretary, Viola Motsumi as deputy secretary and Sello Lehare as treasurer. Maape’s slate being touted comprises Sanco provincial chair and provincial chief whip Paul Sebegoe as deputy chair, Thato Mogogodi as secretary and Rose Thabanchu as deputy secretary.

Among his additional members are China Dodovu, Kenny Morolong, Philly Mapulane and Wendy Matsemela. But slates for female candidates Rosho and Mosenogi are not yet out.

Political analyst Prof André Duvenhage described the RET move as a Stalingrad strategy.

“I get they are producing trouble at branch level so as to buy time. This is their Stalingrad strategy to have the provincial conference postponed because Supra is not in command. Maloyi is the main man.”

– ericn@citizen.co.za