The ANC’s five most senior leaders are expected to break a stalemate in the party over the proposed appointment of Gwen Ramokgopa that would effectively make her acting secretary-general of the party.
This comes after a meeting about her possible role deadlocked last week, with those opposed to the move claiming she was being forced down their throats by the faction supporting President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The showdown took place during a meeting of the party’s national working committee (NWC) last week where it was expected that Ramokgopa would be installed as a co-ordinator in the ANC top six.
A vacuum in the secretary-general’s office was created when corruption-accused Ace Magashule was suspended last year after he refused to step aside as required by party rules. Magashule’s deputy, Jessie Duarte, who had been acting in the position, has fallen ill.
The NWC appointed treasurer-general Paul Mashatile to fill in for Duarte. But Mashatile is said to have indicated that he requires extra hands to deal with the workload of two offices.
The secretary-general’s office is in charge of the day-to-day running of the ANC, and plays a significant role in deciding who attends the party’s national conference after conducting audits of party branches.
There has been resistance to Ramokgopa’s possible role since it was proposed at a national executive committee (NEC) meeting earlier this month. Critics accused the Ramaphosa bloc of flouting procedure in its bid to install Ramokgopa.
Mashatile told the Sunday Times that following the deadlock, the matter would be finalised by the remaining five members of the party’s top six — himself, Ramaphosa, Duarte, Deputy President David Mabuza and party chair Gwede Mantashe.
“The matter has not hit a snag, what the NWC decided was that the officials should look into that matter,” Mashatile said. “Obviously with comrade Jessie not there, there’s lots of work. I was asked by the NEC to take over those responsibilities, so instead of three full-time officials I’m alone.”
Obviously with comrade Jessie not there, there’s lots of work
— ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile
He said the party faced an urgent need for greater capacity.
Those opposed to Ramokgopa’s appointment told the Sunday Times the issue had been badly handled.
“This whole thing is factionalised because now we have to discuss a name instead of the capacity of the office. The unfortunate thing is that the person who brought this up in the meeting said we need to capacitate the office and that Gwen must be the one to come in,” said an aggrieved NEC member who asked not to be named.
This source suggested that a decision had already been made by the Ramaphosa faction ahead of an upcoming NEC meeting to decide the issue, with party members instructed to support the appointment.
“You get a sense that there was a meeting held [in the corners] ahead of the NEC meeting where comrades were told what to do. And comrades don’t disappoint because they do exactly what was discussed,” said the insider.
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