ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile has emerged as one of the leaders to watch ahead of the party’s elective conference in December.
Mashatile has set his sights on becoming President Cyril Ramaphosa’s deputy — a position that is expected to be hotly contested at the conference.
Mashatile has amassed power and influence since taking over as acting secretary-general after the suspension of Ace Magashule and the death of deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte.
The two roles mean Mashatile is in charge of the party’s finances as treasurer-general and the running of the organisation in his capacity as acting secretary-general.
The issue is a hot potato in the ANC, with some leaders saying he should vacate the secretary-general role.
Those who raised the matter at a special national executive committee (NEC) meeting this week suggested that the party’s constitution does not make provision for the treasurer-general to act as secretary-general or deputy secretary-general.
The issue was shot down because it was not on the agenda.
It is expected to become a topic of debate at the next NEC meeting.
A Mashatile ally this week sought to dismiss the issue, saying it was raised by people opposed to him standing for deputy president.
“I think their campaign has fallen flat, the campaign of coming up with their preferred slate of the president. For instance, in the Eastern Cape the PEC [provincial executive committee] said regions must discuss who should be supported, so some of the regions there said: ‘We will support Cyril but we want Paul as deputy president,’” the NEC member said.
Even if you bring ‘uNyana kaThixo’ [the Son of Man] to that post now they will still find fault. The issue here is we don’t have capacity, how do we address it between now and the conference?
— Fikile Mbalula
ANC NEC member Fikile Mbalula said those who raised the issue were within their rights, but it had nothing to do with Mashatile having too much power.
Mashatile had been doing a good job and it would be up to the NEC to decide whether he continued or someone else took over, he added.
“The issue of the SGO [secretary-general’s office] capacity was raised before and it was stalled in the organisation because [Duarte] was still alive and it was insensitive for us to talk about somebody acting in that position while she was still going through what she was going through. Now that she’s gone … anybody is free to raise that particular position,” Mbalula said.
“It has got nothing to do with anybody’s powers, and Mashatile in particular, because he’s doing a brilliant job, but the fact of the matter is that the SGO, the issue of its capacity, has been on the agenda because [Magashule] is home, [Duarte] fell ill and that’s why we brought comrade Gwen [Ramokgopa] in to basically assist at Luthuli House.”
Mbalula said those raising the issue of Mashatile having too much power were playing factional politics.
“Anybody in that position will always be under attack from factions because it’s an office that deals with processing matters that affect the standing of factions as we approach the conference,” he said.
“Even if you bring uNyana kaThixo [the Son of Man] to that post now they will still find fault. The issue here is we don’t have capacity, how do we address it between now and the conference? That’s the issue, any other matter really is peripheral.”
Mashatile has used both his positions to build a support base within party structures. Those close to him say he has the support of the Adiwele faction in Gauteng, as well as a strong base in Limpopo, the Eastern Cape and North West.
This puts him in a good position to negotiate for a place in Ramaphosa’s new top six. What could work against him is the push within the party for women to occupy meaningful positions, and the campaign to have younger leaders in the top six.
Mashatile’s competition includes Deputy President David Mabuza, human settlements minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, justice minister Ronald Lamola and former health minister Zweli Mkhize.
Kubayi and Lamola enjoy support among Ramaphosa’s core of backers. Mkhize is expected to use his support base in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape to negotiate for the position.
Luthuli House insiders said the president would not endorse any candidate. In the build-up to the elective conference at Nasrec in 2017 he urged his backers to vote for international relations & co-operation minister Naledi Pandor.
A source in the president’s inner circle said though Ramaphosa may not want Mashatile or Mkhize as his deputy, he might be forced to accept either one of them because of the support they command.
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