ANC Premier League’s support waning ahead of December conference

The influence of a pro-Jacob Zuma group known as the Premier League is waning ahead of the ANC’s December elective conference as branches in their provinces openly revolt.

Insiders in North West and Free State have told TimesLIVE that conferences there were either postponed or collapsed by the provincial strongmen‚ Supra Mahumapelo and Ace Magashule‚ respectively‚ as an attempt to hold onto power.

Chaos reigns in the North West ANC where three regions‚ disbanded since 2015‚ last week failed to hold conferences to elect new leadership. Task teams have been in charge in those regions beyond the six-month period allowed for in the ANC constitution.

A fourth region - Kenneth Kaunda in Klerksdorp - was not disbanded but its term in office lapsed a year ago. Its regional conference also did not sit.

Tokyo Mataboge‚ former secretary of Bojanala region encompassing Rustenburg‚ and 39 branch members successfully interdicted the conference there owing to branch irregularities.

The conference in Ngaka Modiri Molema - encompassing the provincial capital‚ Mafikeng - failed to sit after “fundamental disputes” also related to branch membership irregularities were raised in 38 of the region’s 103 branches. The situation appears to be worse in the Ruth Mompati region - home to Vryburg and Taung - where further irregularities were raised in 56 of the region’s 66 branches‚ causing the conference there to collapse.

Former secretary Priscilla Williams said: “The reason our conference was postponed is because Supra and his supporters calculated the numbers and realised they were losing.”

Mahumapelo and provincial secretary Dakota Legoete did not respond to several requests for comment.

Insiders say they are concerned about the state of affairs because branch nominations for leadership positions at the December conference are due next month‚ adding that this places the province’s full participation in jeopardy.

TimesLIVE understands that disputes were raised directly with ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe‚ who is said to have refused to sign off the province’s branch audit report - killing off the provincial leadership’s attempts to convene regional conferences with allegedly “bogus branches”.

Insiders said Mahumapelo is losing influence even within his circle‚ with former allies having turned foes. They include ANC youth league President Collen Maine‚ former treasurer and now MP Philly Mapulane‚ provincial executive committee member Mmoloki Cwaile and former regional leader Solly Malete.

It is also understood that Mahumapelo may be challenged by his deputy‚ Sello Lehari who is Education MEC. Lehari is said to have been a target of a still-born attempt to reshuffle the provincial cabinet last week.

In the Free State‚ Magashule’s grip on power is also slipping away. This comes after a provincial conference set for last week was postponed and a cadre’s assembly held in its place.

Magashule is being challenged by his deputy and former ally‚ Thabo Manyoni.

Provincial ANC spokesman Thabo Meeko blamed the postponement on “logistical challenges” but Sunday Times reported last week that insiders said the cadre’s assembly was Magashule’s last-ditch attempt to hold onto power.

Meeko this week said: “Issues of branch audits are a national responsibility. We are waiting for [Mantashe] to sign off on the audits but the conference will definitely take place before December.

Only Mpumalanga’s David Mabuza appears to have a firm grip on power after he was elected unopposed in 2015 and his allies emerged victorious in successive regional conferences.

The province has earmarked Mabuza as the next ANC deputy president but it is unclear whether he still supports Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to succeed President Jacob Zuma after having been closely linked to the latter.