ANC seeks to remove Mpumalanga regional chair who lives in Gauteng

08 October 2017 - 14:17 By Olebogeng Molatlhwa
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ANC supporters. File photo.
ANC supporters. File photo.
Image: Reuters

ANC branches in Mpumalanga's Nkangala region want to remove their chairman‚ Speedy Mashilo‚ arguing that he misrepresented himself and does not qualify to lead them.

This is after it emerged that Mashilo‚ who is also MEC for Human Settlements‚ is a regional leader in that province but resides in Gauteng.

Mashilo did not respond to repeated requests for comment but TimesLIVE established that he had a property in Bronkhorstspruit‚ Pretoria‚ listed under his name beginning in August 2008.

Records show that the property has continued to be listed as Mashilo’s residence until as recently as June 2017‚ when he was re-elected regional chairman.

Another property in Ekangala is frequently listed under Mashilo's name but it is understood this may be his family home.

Branches in the region‚ which incorporates the commercial hub of Witbank‚ are now calling for an early conference to remove Mashilo‚ less than four months after re-electing him unopposed.

It is understood that that branches prefer a regional conference in order to isolate Mashilo. This is to avoid disbanding the entire region as it would affect the number of delegates Mpumalanga would be able to send to the ANC's crucial December elective conference.

But TimesLIVE has been reliably informed that the provincial executive committee (PEC) intends to act against Mashilo this week‚ when he is expected to be stripped of his position.

Provincial Chairman David Mabuza is positioning Mpumalanga as kingmaker ahead of the December conference and is counting on the province to vote as a bloc in order to cement this status.

Mabuza is gunning for a position on the ANC’s top six after a lengthy spell as provincial chairman. He is thought to especially be interested in becoming the next ANC deputy president.

The province will send the second largest contingent – 736 delegates – to the December elective conference‚ making Mpumalanga a key player.

However‚ Mabuza's backers see Mashilo as a threat to that plan.

"A region in Mpumalanga cannot be led by someone from Gauteng. How does he explain being chairman of a region in Mpumalanga and an MEC‚ yet he resides in another province? Speedy is part of a cabal which is destabilising the region and the province‚" said a branch leader this week.

The branch leader explained that Mashilo's possible dual membership could negatively affect the Mpumalanga delegation's December conference credentials‚ in the process scuppering the province's kingmaker status.

Insiders told TimesLIVE that this appeared to be a deliberate ploy by Mashilo's camp to divide Mpumalanga and create a pocket of support for Cyril Ramaphosa‚ who is hoping to garner enough support in the province to help him win the ANC presidency.

They say Mashilo is eyeing the premiership of Mpumalanga should Ramaphosa win in December.

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