Wheels within wheels in power battles

The bitterly contested leadership battle in the African National Congress (ANC) Gauteng region has far wider implications than simply deciding who will lead the ruling party in South Africa’s business and financial hub. The outcome will directly affect wider power relations in the ANC and the ANC Youth League (ANCYL). It could further have a decisive bearing on the future of controversial ANCYL president Julius Malema, who faces stiff opposition in the Eastern Cape.

The contest to lead the ANC in the province is between Zuma’s choice for premier of the province, the current incumbent Nomvula Mokonyane, and former premier, Paul Mashatile. Mashatile is the sitting ANC provincial leader and also deputy minister of Arts and Culture in Zuma’s Cabinet.

The contest has taken on all the destructive divisiveness of the erstwhile Zuma-Mbeki fight. It also reflects some of the current well-known factional divisions as well as lesser known ones – again, revealing serious political fault lines in the ruling party, weakening it and hampering good decisive governance in many spheres.

The irony is that Mokonyane had been a former ally of Mashatile at the previous ANC provincial leadership elections in 2007 when she had snubbed the other candidate at the time, current Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga. Now, Motshekga’s promoters are getting their own back by supporting Mashatile against Mokonyane.

It has emerged that the kingmaker in the contest is likely to be Panyaza Lesufi, the former spokesperson for the National Prosecutions Authority and confidante of Motshekga. Lesufi has the backing of the powerful Ekurhuleni region.

Gauteng is traditionally a very powerful and influential region within the structures of the ANC. It is therefore a sought-after prize for anyone in the party with long-term political ambitions.

Mashatile, who had set his hopes on becoming premier of this province ever since former premier and provincial leader Mbhazima Shilowa broke away from the ANC to help form the Congress of the People (Cope), was overlooked by Zuma in favour of Mokonyane.

Mashatile had only briefly served as interim premier after Shilowa had left, and was hoping to make the powerful job his permanent one. Instead, he was 'placated' with a junior appointment of no political influence as Arts and Culture deputy minister.

Mokonyane has been an unpopular and controversial choice as premier from the start. The ANCYL in Gauteng makes no bones about the fact that it wants Mashatile to remain ANC provincial leader, and further wants him to replace Mokonyane as premier. However here, too, there are divisions, and the support for Mashatile did not go uncontested.

Earlier, Gauteng ANCYL provincial secretary Thabo Kupa had announced that the League would back Mokonyane, but ordinary members and branches forced the ANCYL provincial leadership to publically reverse this decision, as they had no mandate. This turnaround by the branches in overturning the Gauteng ANCYL nomination illustrates Malema's diminishing influence within ANCYL structures.

The faction supporting Mashatile has circulated a list of its preferred candidates to fill the top leadership positions of the ANC in Gauteng. The faction wants Lesufi to take over as secretary from the incumbent David Makhura; Gwen Ramokgopa was nominated for deputy chairperson; David Khawe for deputy secretary; and Alinah Rantsolase for treasurer.

With the Mashatile faction in charge in Gauteng, and with the branches of the ANCYL here reversing the pro-Mokonyane decision, Malema’s position in the province will be significantly weakened. The battle will be decided this weekend in Pretoria when the Gauteng ANC holds its elective conference.

Reports emanating from the Eastern Cape have it that disapproval within the ANCYL of firebrand leader Julius Malema has triggered a groundswell of support for his Eastern Cape deputy and prompted a fierce succession battle.

In the wake of the leadership struggle between the controversial ANCYL president and his deputy Andile Lungisa, supporters of the two have feverishly begun canvassing support in the Eastern Cape – a province considered essential in wresting power at next year’s national league congress.

Indicative of where the battle lines are being drawn, it is reported that T-shirts are being distributed throughout the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and soon Limpopo – Malema’s home province – inscribed with Lungisa’s slogan, “United we stand”. Malema’s T-shirts read: “Dubula”, referring to the controversial anti-apartheid song Dubula iBhunu ("Shoot the Boers").

Last year, Lungisa was appointed as chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) by president Zuma. Malema recently accused Lungisa of using the NYDA as a forum to canvass votes.