Mandla Ndlovu Is The New ANC Chairperson In Mpumalanga.
Tulani Ngwenya
Emalahleni – President Cyril Ramaphosa’s backer Mandla Ndlovu was elected as the new provincial chairperson at the 13th African National Congress (ANC) Provincial Elective Conference at Witbank Dam yesterday.
Ndlovu a former protégé of Deputy President David “DD” Mabuza defeated former provincial secretary Lucky Ndinisa by 162 votes by attaining 440 of the 718 votes.
Ndlovu’s faction, dubbed Focus, made a clean sweep as they won all five positions being contested.
He has been elected in a slate dominated by leaders aligned to the radical economic transformation (RET) faction which is opposing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s second term bid.
Ndlovu is believed to have switched political allegiance to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s CR22 faction.
The conference went ahead after an urgent court interdict to halt it was dismissed.
Two ANC members in the province rushed to the high court in Pretoria on Thursday, 31 March asking to declare as unlawful a few procedural matters that preceded the conference, including the dissolution of the provincial executive committee by the ANC national working committee claiming the structure had no such powers.
At the conference, Nkangala ANC regional chairperson Speedy Mashilo was elected deputy chairperson with 505 votes, beating David Nhlabathi who got 209 votes.
Muzi Chirwa was chosen as provincial secretary with 487 votes after he defeated Pat Ngomane who received 224 votes.
Lindiwe Ntshalintshali was elected deputy provincial secretary of Mpumalanga with 458 votes.
Ntshalintshali is the only Focus aligned member who does not to support Ramaphosa and is an ally of suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule.
Murder accused Mandla Msibi was elected Mpumalanga provincial treasurer in absentia. He is affected by the step aside rule due to his ongoing case. Msibi would not be allowed to assume his leadership role until his case is finalized by the courts.
He is facing charges of murder and attempted murder following a shooting incident at a Mbombela shisanyama in August 2021.
Gwen Ramokgopa, the coordinator in the office of the ANC secretary-general, told delegates after results were announced that Msibi would be given a chance to clear his name before he assumed his duties.
“We want to acknowledge that comrade Msibi did not wait for the party to suspend him but took the moral high ground and stepped aside on his own. He said to us, ‘I’m not guilty but I acknowledge my serious charges’,” Ramokgopa said.
“The step aside rule applies, comrades. We must know that. But we respect that he did not force to be here at this conference. So comrade Msibi will not be available to do ANC work and it is a dilemma that will face this collective,” Ramokgopa pointed out.
Reportedly, sources within the Mpumalanga ANC have said the new slate is dominated by people aligned to former president Jacob Zuma and suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule.
Mpumalanga last held a conference in 2015, and efforts to hold it in 2019 failed. There were concerns over violence that marred general branch meetings.
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