Controversial Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson has been handed a possible political lifeline by being nominated to the ANC Western Cape's list of candidates to Parliament.
Joemat-Pettersson, orginally from Kimberley, in the Northern Cape, is believed to have been frozen out of that province's ANC candidates' list by ANC chairman John Block.
Joemat-Pettersson has been dogged by controversies, including splurging R1.6-million of public funds on lengthy stays at lavish hotels, for which President Jacob Zuma reprimanded her.
Other interesting nominees on the Western Cape ANC's list include former ANC Youth League leader Lulu Johnson, who is from Eastern Cape, and COPE's former spin doctor Phillip Dexter, who rejoined the ANC in January last year.
ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman indicated yesterday that he would prefer to serve the party in the provincial legislature after next year's general election.
"I am chairperson of the ANC in the Western Cape, [and] I have made it clear that I must stand for the ANC [in the provincial legislature]," said Fransman, who is also deputy minister of international relations and cooperation.
Delegates voted for 42 nominees for seats in the provincial legislature, even though the party currently holds 14 seats. The DA has ruled the Western Cape since June 2009.
ANC's Luthuli House head office is expected to release the final list of nominees later this week.
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