Mineral resources and energy minister Gwede Mantashe has dismissed claims about running for deputy president of the ANC and SA, saying he is too old for the job.
Speaking to City Press over the weekend, Mantashe made it known he had no interest in the position.
He said the position requires someone who is “younger and more energetic” and he would not take it for the sake of taking it.
“Anybody will know I do not want to be the deputy president. I think the deputy president must be a younger and more energetic person who is also considered for succession. I am old,” said Mantashe.
“When the president retires, I will retire as well. Why should I chase a position for the sake of a position?”
Candidates running in the ANC’s 2022 presidential race include deputy president David Mabuza, suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule, former health minister Zweli Mkhize, treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu and former treasurer-general Mathews Phosa.
According to the Sunday Times, this will be Sisulu’s second attempt at the presidency.
In 2017, she contested the position alongside co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, but lost to Ramaphosa.
Mantashe says deputy president job needs someone ‘younger and more energetic’ than him
Image: Baba Jiyane
Mineral resources and energy minister Gwede Mantashe has dismissed claims about running for deputy president of the ANC and SA, saying he is too old for the job.
Speaking to City Press over the weekend, Mantashe made it known he had no interest in the position.
He said the position requires someone who is “younger and more energetic” and he would not take it for the sake of taking it.
“Anybody will know I do not want to be the deputy president. I think the deputy president must be a younger and more energetic person who is also considered for succession. I am old,” said Mantashe.
“When the president retires, I will retire as well. Why should I chase a position for the sake of a position?”
Candidates running in the ANC’s 2022 presidential race include deputy president David Mabuza, suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule, former health minister Zweli Mkhize, treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu and former treasurer-general Mathews Phosa.
According to the Sunday Times, this will be Sisulu’s second attempt at the presidency.
In 2017, she contested the position alongside co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, but lost to Ramaphosa.
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Justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola told Sunday Times Daily the ANC needed younger leaders in the top six.
“The reality is there must be a generational mix in the top six. There must be new blood and infusion of various generations, not only to enable us to renew the ANC, in terms of ideas, but leadership itself.”
He said he would respond to calls for him to contest the position when the party opened the succession debate.
Lamola said he would leave his current position should branches call for him to run for ANC deputy presidency.
“The ANC is a party of processes, and we have to respect processes that branches are going to embark on to lead that process,” he said.
“We do not have a history of disrespecting the call by structures. We must allow that process to be led by the structures.”
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