The two ANC deputy secretaries-general are said to have delivered contradictory messages to the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provincial executive committee meetings following the decision to reconfigure the two structures.
According to PEC members who were present at the two meetings, Maropene Ramokgopa told the Gauteng leaders they were disbanded, while Nomvula Mokonyane told the KZN leaders to continue as if it’s business as usual.
This comes after a meeting by the national working committee (NWC) on Monday decided on the names of ANC leaders who would intervene in the two provinces.
Insiders who were present for the Monday meeting said Mdumiseni Ntuli, Mdu Manana and Mondli Gungubele took on party national chairperson Gwede Mantashe during the heated discussion, demanding he desist from trying to take over the meeting.
Mantashe has a tendency to take over a meeting. When you make a point he doesn't like, he wants to redirect the meeting, and they called him out.
— Insider
“Mantashe has a tendency to take over a meeting. When you make a point he doesn't like, he wants to redirect the meeting, and they called him out. It was so bad that he even wanted to leave the meeting, and the president [Cyril Ramaphosa] had to intervene. After that [secretary-general Fikile] Mbalula chastised the three and told them to apologise,” the insider said.
TimesLIVE Premium was first to report on Tuesday that the meeting held in Cape Town dissolved both provinces, meaning KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng will be led by provincial task teams.
According to high-ranking provincial insiders, Mokonyane arrived almost an hour late at the provincial headquarters on Tuesday and the meeting lasted less than 15 minutes. Mokonyane told the PEC that officials would return with a proper report.
They said the ANC leader said a meeting would be held by the officials today to finalise the list of names and hold a meeting with them later.
"[Some of us] stay 400km away from Durban, and for her to tell us they will come back and give a proper report at a later stage, 'for now continue as usual, we will come back with names of those who will continue,' means a decision had been taken, we are disbanded, we must continue for now. I don't understand.”
The provincial leader said Mokonyane was trying to please her faction, including provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo.
A provincial leader in Gauteng said their meeting was more structured, with Ramokgopa having been clear the structure “ceased to exist following the NWC meeting”.
“Maropene had a report in front of her. In fact, she read the report. She stuck to the script,” they said.
The provincial leader said Ramokgopa stated the problems that led to the decision to disband, adding the report explained the legal parameters were also explained to the Gauteng leaders.
“She explained that this means rule 12.2.4 and two more rules where the ANC must keep efficiency in provinces and proper co-ordination were now in effect. She said they would then finalise the entire leadership by tomorrow.
“Ramokgopa also instructed the PEC to call urgent regional general councils this weekend to announce the decision to branches. I think they are just going through the legal motions so that if we want to take them to court, we don't win.”
The insider said the decision on those who will be additional members will be made by February 25.
“We are now ordinary branch members. We came out of there calling ourselves 'membership' — from leadership to membership,” the insider joked.
The NWC meeting resolved that former Gauteng chair Panyaza Lesufi will be appointed co-convener alongside Amos Masondo. Former Gauteng provincial secretary Hope Papo will take over as co-ordinator, while deputy provincial secretary Tasneem Motara has been appointed fundraiser.
Meanwhile, in KZN the meeting affirmed ANC veteran Jeff Radebe as convener of the provincial task team, while Mike Mabuyakhulu was appointed co-ordinator. Provincial chair Siboniso Duma will be deputy convener.
TimesLIVE Premium reported that this meant the provincial secretaries of Gauteng and KZN, TK Nciza and Bheki Mtolo, have been cast aside.
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