There is a strong push for Gauteng premier David Makhura to vacate office to make way for newly elected ANC provincial chair Panyaza Lesufi within a few weeks.
Those who want Panyaza to take over say the party cannot go into the general election campaign with Makhura as the face of government in the province.
The Sunday Times understands that Lesufi and Lebogang Maile have agreed that Lesifi should take the reins soon.
Leadership changes were expected, as happened in other provinces such as KZN where former premier Sihle Zikalala vacated office immediately after losing the provincial chair position.
According to several insiders, there were those who wanted Lesufi to take over early next week but there was a view that Makhura’s new position be confirmed before he exits the premier's office.
ANC leaders with knowledge on the matter said there had been talks between provincial leaders and President Cyril Ramaphosa to accommodate Makhura in Ramaphosa's executive.
“They’ve already agreed that [Lesufi] must take over, it’s Makhura who is still doubtful. Once there is an opening at national, and I think there is an opening, he’ll go,” said a source.
Another party leader confirmed the discussion. “It's done. They are just waiting to finalise Makhura's deployment. They have agreed that Panyaza will take over; they wanted to do it by next week but there is still this issue [over Makhura], ” said the insider, who pointed out that there was an opening in Ramaphosa’s cabinet since the departure of Ayanda Dlodlo, who served as minister of public service and administration.
Lesufi could not be reached for comment, while Maile denied any knowledge of the move.
“We've not had any provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting to discuss that. Makhura is the premier and Panyaza is the chair; there have not been any discussions,” Maile said.
He said the notion that the discussions were centred on Lesufi being the face of the campaign was not true, as the only face of any ANC campaign would be Ramaphosa.
“Why would we talk about the face of the campaign while there's a president? The ANC is a unitary structure, not a federal organisation, so provinces don't run separate campaigns,” he said.
We've not had any provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting to discuss any of that. Makhura is the premier and Panyaza is the chair; there have not been any discussions
— Lebogang Maile
Those close to Lesufi have been cautious about pushing for his takeover so soon after the elective conference. They believed Maile supporters were still reeling from his loss.
“[Lesufi] is not in a rush as he feels these guys who lost might not be comfortable for him to assume leadership,” said a source close to Lesufi.
Maile led a faction opposed to Lesufi at the conference and though they lost the chair position they won most of the seats in the PEC and would have the power to decide who becomes premier.
The ANC in Gauteng faces losing the 2024 national general elections to a coalition of opposition parties.
The party will need the face of a trusted political figure in the elections to arrest the electoral decline and many believe that man is Lesufi.
“The face of the campaign can’t be Makhura, it has to be Panyaza, that’s why this transition needs to happen. They have started the process of replacing Makhura in the province,” the insider said.
It is expected a special PEC meeting will be called soon to table the deployment committee decision on Lesufi taking over as premier and on Makhura’s future.
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