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Be careful what you invest in, Supra

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President Jacob Zuma and Supra Mahumapelo.Picture: Elmond Jiyane
President Jacob Zuma and Supra Mahumapelo.Picture: Elmond Jiyane

Two events have focused attention on North West ANC chairperson and premier Supra Mahumapelo this week.

One is his decision to erect a statue of president Jacob Zuma in a village in the North West. The other is the decision by the North West ANC to spearhead the move to make former Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe a member of Parliament, in what is viewed as a pathway for him to be appointed a minister.

The statue, costing R6 million, is going to be erected in Groot Marico, a tiny impoverished town between Zeerust and Swartruggens. This is where Zuma was arrested by the apartheid police in August 1963. The idea of the statue has been criticised by the Democratic Alliance, who said that the piece would leave the country with nothing more than “a monument to corruption and unemployment”, adding that there was nothing to celebrate about Zuma’s presidency.

“[Zuma’s] regime has left 9 million people unemployed. A regime that has let corruption flourish, and has allowed the state to be captured by his cronies and pals,” said the DA’s Joe McGluwa.

He noted that the North West had the highest unemployment rate in South Africa at 44.6%, and that the people of Gopane, Zeerust, where the statue would be erected, were in critical need of services

But Mahumapelo is unfazed by the critics, vowing to continue.

“That statue is going to be constructed. It’s a decision of the executive of the province. We owe nobody an apology in honouring a leadership that has made a sacrifice and contribution to the liberation of South Africans.

“What is wrong in having a ‘capture side’ of President Zuma. So we are unashamed, we are unambiguous and we remain undeterred,” he told the SABC.

On the Molefe issue, his structure in the North West is determined to elevate Molefe despite him never having been an active member in the region. This has led to accusations that Mahumapelo and his cronies are carrying out the move in order to appease President Jacob Zuma, who wants to shake up the finance ministry by bringing in a finance minister or deputy that he trusts. Molefe would then be the candidate.

But why would it be Mahumapelo to do all this? This is particularly intriguing given that of all the people mentioned who are competing for a place in ANC leadership this year, his name is not among those touted.

But Mahumapelo has been working closely with Free State Premier Ace Magashule and Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza, in what was colloquially referred to as the Premier League. Together with the ANC Youth League and Women’s League, the Premier League has been identified as pursuing an agenda to support Zuma and to back whomever the president supports as his successor.

Zuma’s anointed successor is former African Union Commissioner Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Magashule and Mabuza are making strong bids to feature in the ANC’s top six officials, who will be elected in December this year at a conference in Johannesburg. It is only Mahumapelo who is not making an immediate bid. So why is he going out on a limb to appease Zuma?

Let’s remember that only 10 years ago, at the Polokwane conference, Mahumapelo was at the forefront, leading a vociferous anti-Zuma chorus. Mahumapelo and all the others who supported former president Thabo Mbeki were soundly defeated at the conference.

After that, Mahumapelo – an ambitious young person – decided if you can’t beat them, join them. It worked for him because Zuma appointed him premier in 2014. He is therefore yet to complete a term as a premier while both Magashule and Mabuza are coming towards the end of their second terms as premiers.

So more likely his short-term ambition is to return for a second term as premier in 2019 and thereafter target the next ANC conference in 2022 for a place in the top echelons of the ANC.

But he must carefully consider that ANC dynamics might change long before then. Therefore the people that he is ingratiating himself towards now might not be in the position to return his favours.

But the people in the villages of the North West, who have no proper roads and are stranded after the massive rains this week, might have quite different memory of him.

Politics don’t follow a straight line, Rre Mahumapelo ... So be warned; what might look like a safe investment today ....


Rapule Tabane
Politics editor
City Press
City Press
p:+27 11 713 9001
w:www.citypress.co.za  e: rapule.tabane@citypress.co.za
      
 
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