CR slate punts Mabuyane for deputy president singularity, focus

"For singularity and focus, we propose the name of Oscar Mabuyane as ANC deputy president," Mondli Gungubele, chief lobbyist of the Cyril Ramaphosa grouping, told delegates on Sunday. 

Gungubele was speaking at Nasrec ahead of the vote by 4,426 branch delegates who are expected to post their ballot for the party's top 7 leaders. 

Mabuyane's name emerges after there was a strong push by Gungubele and others for water and sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu to replace David Mabuza as deputy president of the ANC.

However, if it wasn't evident for the Ramaphosa caucus that Mchunu didn't have the backing of supporters when he failed to receive nominations from branches, the picture became crystal clear in the early hours of Sunday morning when his name was not raised from the floor during nominations.

Addressing delegates at Nasrec, Gungubele said they needed to take a decision that would give them a fighting chance ahead of the vote.

For the ANC secretary-general (SG) position are former KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli, transport minister Fikile Mbalula and deputy public enterprises minister Phumulo Masualle.

The position of SG has been vacant since 2021 following the suspension of Ace Magashule. 

ANC head of organising Nomvula Mokonyane and Tina Joemat-Pettersson will battle it out for the position of first deputy secretary-general. 

For second deputy secretary-general, ANC Women’s League co-ordinator Maropene Ramokgopa and Ronalda Nalumango from the Western Cape were nominated from the floor. 

For the position of treasurer-general, party spokesperson Pule Mabe, Ramaphosa adviser Bejani Chauke, ANC Ekurhuleni chair Mzwandile Masina and Gwen Ramokgopa are all nominated and will be on the ballot.