VIDEOS: Is David Mabuza still part of the ‘premier league’?

Is ANC chairperson and Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza no longer part of the so-called premier league, as media reports suggest?

That’s the million-dollar question many have been asking in ANC circles surrounding the party’s hotly contested leadership race.

According to a report by Sowetan, Mabuza reportedly held secretive meetings with ANC provincial leaders from Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Gauteng, who are seen as opposed to former African Union commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s presidential campaign.

The meetings are said to have given the provinces that back Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s campaign hope that the Mpumalanga strongman might support them at the ANC’s upcoming national elective conference later this year in December.

The report also said at least three senior ANC leaders close to the developments apparently confirmed Mabuza was no longer part of the premier league. And the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) – which wanted him to run as Dlamini-Zuma’s deputy – confirmed it would remove Mabuza from its slate and replace him with North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo.

The premier league is an informal ANC lobby group said to be led by the provincial chairmen and premiers of the Free State, North West and Mpumalanga, who are firmly behind the Zuma faction. They reportedly include the ANCYL, ANC Women’s League, and the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association.

So judging by Mabuza’s statements at the ANC’s 5th national policy conference at Nasrec, south of Johannesburg, has he switched to the Ramaphosa slate?

• Mabuza believes “there is colour” to the white monopoly capital debate:

DD Mabuza on monopoly capital "there is colour" … *following the videos just posted, who does Mabuza support? #SABCNews #ANCPolicy pic.twitter.com/fcgIFlEj6F

— Aldrin Sampear (@AldrinSampear) July 2, 2017

• The Mpumalanga premier says radical economic transformation is critical:

#ANCNPC David Mabuza "RET is critical. The way things are going-we are going to another revolution. People can't stay hungry." @Slindelo_M pic.twitter.com/bQHvDUCWa9

— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) July 2, 2017

• On the ANC’s internal divisions, Mabuza has called for unity:

DD Mabuza, what he is saying is exactly, almost verbatim, what Ramaphosa says #SABCNews #ANCPolicy pic.twitter.com/h9v5ESB9Gj

— Aldrin Sampear (@AldrinSampear) July 2, 2017

• He says the constitution should not be amended to fast-track land expropriation:

ON LAND = DD Mabuza doesn't support "amending" of the constitution … #SABCNews #ANCPolicy pic.twitter.com/pK1FwFi7L0

— Aldrin Sampear (@AldrinSampear) July 2, 2017

• He says the secretary-general’s scathing diagnostic report was “good”:

DD Mabuza describes the "diagnostic report as "good" … #ANCPolicy pic.twitter.com/6knLLz3Z2y

— Aldrin Sampear (@AldrinSampear) July 2, 2017

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