South Africans will soon find out who will be at the helm of the ANC with delegates scheduled to cast their vote at the party’s 55th National elective conference this morning.
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Moving away from the tradition of voting for the top six, members will, at 9am, cast their ballots for seven individuals who will lead the party over the next five years.
The official list of nominees was signed and sealed in the early hours of Sunday morning with Zweli Mkhize and Cyril Ramaphosa selected as presidential candidates.
Ronald Lamola, Oscar Mabuyane and Paul Mashatile are in line for the vice presidency while Mdumiseni Ntuli, Phumulo Masualle and Fikile Mbalula are in the running to be the next secretary general.
The start of the nomination process was not spared any drama with party members from various provinces at loggerheads in an effort to have their preferred candidates heard.
NEC member Nkosazana-Dlamini Zuma who was nominated by Gauteng for the position of President, was the first nomination from the floor but declined.
The second nomination for the incumbent David Mabuza for the position of Deputy President. However, he also declined.
The nominations for the first Deputy Secretary-General also kicked off on a chaotic note when ANC general manager Fébé Potgieter sent an email to the electoral chair Kgalema Motlanthe, indicating that she no longer wanted to contest the position of First DSG.
She also turned down the nomination for Second DGS after the ANC’s constitution was amended to accommodate such a position.
With Potgieter declining this position, ANC Women’s League coordinator Maropene Ramakgopa was also nominated but declined before Nomvula Mokonyane accepted her nomination.
As requests for more nominations were called for the position of 1st DSG, some delegates expressed their disapproval of how the process unfolded.
This saw electoral chairperson Kgalema Motlanthe on several occasions to urge members to keep calm and allow for the process to continue.
Calm was restored and Tina Joemat-Pettersson accepted her nomination for the position of 1st DSG while Maropene Ramokgopa was nominated for the 2nd DSG position.
In a surprise move, Lindiwe Sisulu, also accepted her nomination for the role of TG which she accepted.
However this was short-lived as the electoral committee announced that her name did not meet the threshold. The reason for this was not immediately given.
Instead, Gwen Ramokgopa was added as the only female nominee for the position of TG, which she accepted.
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Picture: Cape{town}Etc Library