The ANC has named former US ambassador Ebrahim Rasool to lead a new Provincial Task Team, hoping his diplomatic experience will help the party regain ground in the DA‑run Western Cape. Picture Credits: Good Governance Africa
By Duncan Mnisi
Western Cape – The African National Congress (ANC) is pressing the reset button in the Western Cape.
After securing just 19.5% of the vote in the 2024 provincial election, the party’s national executive committee (NEC) moved to “reconfigure” provincial leadership and appointed former South African ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, to lead the effort.
Rasool, a former premier of the Western Cape with extensive diplomatic experience, is expected to stabilise and strengthen the party’s provincial structures. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said at a Cape Town briefing: “He has a deep understanding of the province and the networks needed to rebuild our structures.”
Mbalula confirmed that Rasool will head a newly formed Provincial Task Team (PTT).
The PTT is designed to be a compact, energetic group tasked with reviving ANC branches, leagues, and regional offices. Alongside Rasool, the team includes:
- Linda Moss – first deputy convenor
- Vuyiso Tyhalisisu – second deputy convenor
- Thandi Manikivana Makasi – coordinator
- Melanie Tembo – first deputy coordinator
- Phlisa Makeleni – second deputy coordinator
- Richard Dyantyi – fundraiser
The shake-up comes amid growing tension between the ANC and the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Western Cape’s governing party. Mbalula accused the DA of pushing an “anti-poor, anti-transformation agenda” and said the ANC must “confront that agenda and rebuild our base.”
The ANC has outlined three immediate priorities:
- Rebuild grassroots structures.
- Sharpen the party’s brand and communications.
- Prepare for the 2026 local government elections.
Mbalula summarised the NEC’s position: “The NEC has resolved to establish a Provincial Task Team that will guide the rebuilding process, stabilise organisational structures, and lead preparations for future electoral contests.”
Rasool did not speak at the briefing, but those close to him say he remains “committed to the ANC’s renewal” and is expected to bring the same discipline and dedication he displayed during his diplomatic tenure in Washington.
If Rasool’s political experience and diplomatic networks can translate into electoral gains, the ANC may be able to claw back some of the support it lost in 2024. For now, attention turns to the new task team — and whether it can shift the political tide in a province that has challenged the ANC for more than a decade.
