Outgoing Gauteng premier David Makhura says he personally asked the ANC provincial leadership to relieve him of his position.
In a spirited press briefing on Sunday, Makhura said it was not true he was recalled by the party’s new leadership after its provincial executive committee meeting on Friday or that he was asked to resign.
We have never thrown our leaders into the dustbin.
— Thembinkosi Nciza, Gauteng secretary
His version was backed by ANC provincial chairperson Panyaza Lesufi and provincial secretary Thembinkosi “TK” Nciza, who on multiple occasions repeated the point that Makhura “is the one who said there must be a smooth process and he initiated it”.
According to Lesufi, Makhura had in fact wanted to “hand over” the premiership before the June conference that elected the new leadership.
Makhura felt he had done it all having served in leadership positions at provincial level for 22 years.
It was for this reason he had announced in February he would not stand for ANC provincial chairmanship again, he said.
He also felt it was time for fresh blood.
“After the provincial conference, I had a discussion with the chairperson of the province Panyaza Lesufi and I met again with him, this time with the provincial secretary. I expressed my wish that I am serving my last term in government, and I said to the leadership we need to discuss matters of how we are going to manage government,” said Makhura.
“I said the elections are in 2024 and we need a smooth transition in government. I expressed an explicit wish by saying I wish the next state of the province address in February next year is not done by me but should be given by the leader the ANC has identified to lead government in Gauteng.
“I did make it clear to them that I am not resigning but I want to hand over properly. I have not threatened the leadership with a resignation; they did not ask for me to resign, they have not taken a decision to recall. It was initiated by me that I want to hand over.”
Lesufi and Nciza said a new role would be found for Makhura.
It is believed that among the considerations is to push his name for the powerful position of ANC secretary-general come the Nasrec December 16-20 national conference where the party will elect new leadership.
Makhura has previously told the Sunday Times that should such a call be made, he would raise his hand.
Nciza said it was well known that the ANC in Gauteng usually back their own at the national conference, with incumbent treasurer-general Paul Mashatile being the last to benefit in December 2017.
“We have never thrown our leaders into the dustbin. You can count them from comrade Kgalema (Motlanthe), comrade Nomvula (Mokonyane) and comrade (Paul) Mashatile and many of them,” said Nciza.
“I am talking about the national conference, we are not going to throw our leaders away. We will engage on what must happen, but comrade Makhura has led us and we do not have a history of undermining those who have led us.”
Lesufi said the process of deciding which individuals the province would back at the national conference would ensue in the coming week, with branches leading the process as nominations open on Wednesday.
“At this present moment we have not made a decision. We are consulting our structures. We are meeting branches in a week’s time, they will nominate and we will convene them again and after that we will take a posture,” said Lesufi.
Lesufi and Nciza could not give an exact date when Makhura will officially leave office as premier except to say he would not leave “without an alternative” role elsewhere.
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