Surprise Northern Cape reshuffle leaves ANC livid

The ANC expressed disbelief yesterday at Northern Cape Premier Sylvia Lucas's decision to reshuffle her cabinet without consulting the party.

"We view this as a flagrant abuse of her office to further divide the ANC. Her unbridled arrogance is a betrayal of trust with the ANC," the party said in a statement yesterday.

"We reaffirm the 52nd national conference resolution, that consultation with the ANC structures on matters of deployment is a principle of the organisation and not a favour.

"Our deployees must desist from misusing their deployment to deepen divisions in the ANC."

The move has been directly linked to the fight over the position of provincial ANC chairman between Lucas and Northern Cape secretary Zamani Saul.

Those purged were, according to sources, linked to Saul, the frontrunner in the race.

Former finance MEC Mac Jack and former transport MEC Pauline Williams were removed in the reshuffle.

The gloves are off in the fight in the province, which will be among the smallest voting blocs at the ANC's national conference, where President Jacob Zuma's successor will be elected in December.

The Northern Cape conference is expected to be addressed by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, whom Saul is likely to back in December.

Lucas is close to Zuma and is likely to support Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.