Battle looms over Gauteng premier

A change of leadership is on the cards for the premiership of Gauteng, with the ANC in the province snubbing incumbent Nomvula Mokonyane.

The Times has learned that the ANC's provincial executive committee (PEC) met on Monday night and decided on finance MEC Mandla Nkomfe, provincial ANC secretary David Makhura and education MEC Barbara Creecy as possible replacements for Mokonyane.

According to the final list of candidates to serve in the Gauteng legislature, ANC branches in the province had wanted Makhura, Creecy or traditional affairs MEC Ntombi Mekgwe to be considered for the premiership.

However, the prerogative lies with President Jacob Zuma, who is widely expected to retain Mokonyane, an important ally in the ANC national executive committee, in the post.

ANC Gauteng head of communications and PEC member Nkenke Kekana yesterday would neither deny nor confirm whether a discussion over the premiership had taken place.

In a statement, the ANC's provincial leadership said: "Contrary to speculation, the premiership of the province was not discussed. As per our conference resolution on premierships, the PEC will discuss and recommend three names to be considered by the NEC."

However, a source close to Monday night's meeting told The Times that the discussion did in fact take place, adding that Nkomfe was considered a front-runner, along with Creecy.

Though Makhura topped the province-to-province list, the party's decline in the provincial poll will likely hamper his chances of replacing Mokonyane.

"Not all groupings in the province will want Makhura to leave because we need stability. We have just lost 10 percentage points in the elections, so letting him go might not be a wise idea after all," the source said.

Mekgwe was punted as one of four possible replacements for outgoing Speaker Lindiwe Maseko.