The ANC top brass has decided to reconfigure the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provincial executive committees (PECs), opting not to disband the structures completely.
It is understood that ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Paul Mashatile, first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane, and former president Thabo Mbeki, were some of the leaders who opposed the decision to disband the structures, warning that it could further divide the party.
Sources revealed to IOL that secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and the second secretary-general Maropene Ramokgopa pushed for disbanding of the PECs in the two provinces.
The ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) resolved to reconfigure the PECs after a heated two-day meeting in Boksburg over the weekend.
The decision comes after the two provinces dropped the ball dramatically in the May 29, 2024, national and provincial elections.
Gauteng’s support dropped to 35% while KZN just garnered 17%.
Nationally, the ANC received 40% electoral support. This was the first time that the ANC failed to win the elections since democracy, which led to the formation of Government of National Unity (GNU).
KZN And Gauteng were singled out for their poor performance.
In his closing remarks, Ramaphosa said reconfiguration will occur within the framework of the ANC.
The reconfiguration means that they will simply deploy some of the NEC members or veterans with good track records to help turn around the situation.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting on Sunday, ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, stressed that the party has no clear track record on whether disbandment will yield positive or negative outcomes.
Bhengu-Motsiri said that, pointing to the mixed results in provinces such as Limpopo, Western Cape, North West and the Free State, which have also undergone disbandment in the past.
“Where there has been disbandment, if you look at the results, it’s a mixed bag of results,” Bhengu-Motsiri said.
“I think that it is always important to address the situation in terms of merits and facts before us in every situation.”
Bhengu-Motsiri said the political and organisational structures in KZN and Gauteng are different.
“There may be commonalities, but they are different. What is common, of course, about them is the fact that these are the two largest economies in our country. They contribute significant percentages to our national GDP; they are the most populous and contribute a lot to the national vote share.
“It is a science and logic to focus on those,” she said.
The party plans to announce its decision by midday on Monday, at its headquarters in Johannesburg, with secretary general of the ANC, Fikile Mbalula, expected to brief the media on the outcomes of the NEC meeting.
The briefing will also discuss how the NEC plans to address organisational matters in the two provinces.
IOL Politics