Three Ramokgopas have emerged from the ANC national conference as winners — two of them securing positions in the party’s top seven and all of them joining the incoming national executive committee (NEC).
Gwen Ramokgopa was elected treasurer-general and Maropene Ramokgopa took the new post of second deputy secretary-general, while Kgosientsho Ramokgopa — who is Gwen’s nephew — made it into the NEC.
The Ramokgopas have not only won big at the conference but have positioned themselves among President Cyril Ramaphosa’s strongest allies.
Gwen was until a few months ago one of Ramaphosa’s special advisers at the Union Buildings, while Kgosientsho heads investment and infrastructure in the office of the president. Maropene, who is not related to them, is Ramaphosa’s adviser on international relations.
Gwen has benefited greatly from her close ties with Ramaphosa, becoming the first woman to be elected treasurer-general.
Through Ramaphosa’s influence, Maropene was elected into the ANC Limpopo provincial executive committee (PEC) at the provincial conference this year.
She had positioned herself as one of Ramaphosa’s most staunch and vocal allies, which saw her appointed co-ordinator of the ANC Women’s League task team after the NEC disbanded the league led by Bathabile Dlamini.
Kgosientsho made it into the Gauteng PEC mostly because of his track record in provincial politics.
Gwen and Kgosientsho hail from Atteridgeville in Tshwane and both hold PhDs — in medicine and public affairs respectively. They have both led the Tshwane metropolitan municipality as mayors.
Before becoming special adviser to the president, Gwen served as deputy minister of health and held two MEC posts in Gauteng, for health and for economic development.
Kgosientsho is the former ANC chair in Tshwane and became one of the youngest mayors of a metropolitan municipality. He graduated to the provincial legislature where he held the position of MEC for economic development, agriculture & environment.
His other positions include being CEO of both the Metropolitan Trading Co and the Johannesburg Market.
Kgosientsho’s political career spans many decades. He led the South African Student Congress, the ANC Youth League at the University of Durban-Westville and the ANC branch in Atteridgeville, and has served as a ward councillor.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.