Is Mathabatha on his way to form part of the ANC’s top six?

Will newly elected Limpopo ANC provincial chair Stan Mathabatha serve out his term or is he on his way to form part of the ANC’s top six in December? That is the question on many people’s lips in Limpopo after he was re-elected for a third term as ANC provincial chair at the weekend.

Mathabatha defeated his opponent, public works MEC Dickson Masemola, by 781 to 389 votes at the party’s elective conference at The Ranch Hotel on Saturday.

His slate made a clean sweep, with former Vhembe municipality mayor Florence Radzilani winning the deputy provincial chair’s position by 791 votes to Norman Mashabane ANC regional chairperson Pule Shayi’s 373.

Former ANC Youth League Vhembe regional leader Reuben Madadzhe toppled former cooperative governance department MEC Soviet Lekganyane to become the party’s engine as the provincial secretary.

Basikopo Makamu, popularly known as “The Future”, remained in pole position as party deputy provincial secretary. Makamu got 797 votes against Livhuwani Ligaraba’s 365 votes. Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana was voted in as provincial treasurer.

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Political analyst Metji Makgoba said Mathabatha had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be one of the most powerful, influential and bravest politicians in the country.

He said his pubic support for President Cyril Ramaphosa to be elected for a second term and his immense participation and maturity in recent NEC meetings might have earned him the trust of the party branches

But Makgoba warned that those who lost at the Limpopo conference at the weekend may regroup and plot to weaken Ramaphosa’s power base in the province.

Mathabatha said last year that he was done with provincial politics and he was ready for redeployment, as long as he would be doing the work of the ANC.

Rumour has it that Mathabatha has his eyes fixed on the position of national chair, the position held by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe since the Nasrec conference in 2017.

– news@citizen.co.za