“I am not sure what the conference will say but I know people of Eastern Cape, including members of the ANC in the Eastern Cape, would love to see the president going forward,” he said, responding to a question on whether the provincial conference sitting in East London would pledge support for the president.
“This country needs the calibre of a president we have. This issue of trust deficit, the concerns that people have been raising, these issues have been out there. There is one president that has lifted a finger to say, ‘I am willing, even if myself as a president I am also thrown under the bus, but I am willing that the ANC must change’.
“So you needed that courage, you needed that kind of a leader at this juncture,” said Mabuyane.
He said the ANC could not survive “this chop and changing, this excitement of king makers who are toing and froing”.
The Eastern Cape supported Ramaphosa’s election at Nasrec in 2017.
Both Mabuyane and Babalo Madikizela, who also contested the provincial chairmanship, have previously expressed support for Ramaphosa in the build-up to the conference.
Mabuyane was re-elected by 812 votes on Monday morning to retain the Eastern Cape provincial chair position.
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Eastern Cape ANC chair Oscar Mabuyane reiterates support for Ramaphosa second term
Image: MICHAEL PINYANA
Re-elected Eastern Cape ANC provincial chair Oscar Mabuyane has reiterated his and the province’s support for the return of Cyril Ramaphosa as president of the ANC at the party’s elective conference in December.
“Surely anyone who is serious about the country, anyone who is serious about the future of our people, you can’t think far from a person like President Cyril Ramaphosa, and I can tell you, it’s not a question of us trying to be relevant or campaign, it’s a question of principle,” Mabuyane told journalists shortly after his re-election on Monday.
He said Ramaphosa showed courage by being the first ANC president to take seriously and implement the party’s “renewal” resolution.
Clean sweep for Mabuyane slate
“I am not sure what the conference will say but I know people of Eastern Cape, including members of the ANC in the Eastern Cape, would love to see the president going forward,” he said, responding to a question on whether the provincial conference sitting in East London would pledge support for the president.
“This country needs the calibre of a president we have. This issue of trust deficit, the concerns that people have been raising, these issues have been out there. There is one president that has lifted a finger to say, ‘I am willing, even if myself as a president I am also thrown under the bus, but I am willing that the ANC must change’.
“So you needed that courage, you needed that kind of a leader at this juncture,” said Mabuyane.
He said the ANC could not survive “this chop and changing, this excitement of king makers who are toing and froing”.
The Eastern Cape supported Ramaphosa’s election at Nasrec in 2017.
Both Mabuyane and Babalo Madikizela, who also contested the provincial chairmanship, have previously expressed support for Ramaphosa in the build-up to the conference.
Mabuyane was re-elected by 812 votes on Monday morning to retain the Eastern Cape provincial chair position.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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