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David Makhura needs maturity and staying power

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David Makhura (Cornel van Heerden, Netwerk24)
David Makhura (Cornel van Heerden, Netwerk24)

New Gauteng ANC chairperson David Makhura would have to draw on his “maturity”, as the outcome of this weekend’s conference gave him a leadership team designed by lobby groups of which he was not a part.

The election of Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi as deputy chairperson was probably the best outcome for Makhura, as the other contender, economic development MEC Lebogang Maile, was seen to be more ambitious and their pairing could have led to a power struggle in the new provincial executive.

However, the relationship between Makhura and Lesufi is not that smooth either. There is talk of an audio recording in which Makhura was apparently heard saying that Lesufi was “not a factor”.

But Lesufi is aware that he beat Maile by only 22 votes (623 against 601) and that Maile would be emboldened to challenge him for the race to succeed Makhura at the next provincial conference in 2022.

It was not all lost for the Maile group though. Two candidates from his side – Jacob Khawe and his deputy Nomantu Ralehoko – took charge as of the secretariat as provincial secretary and deputy, respectively.

The Maile group punted “intergenerational transition” as their campaign ticket, which pushed for young people to be prepared for leadership – in contrast to the generational mix concept that seeks to have both the new breed and the oldies governing together.

Makhura had preferred former Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau as his deputy but the lobby did not gain traction.

Tau subsequently contested the provincial treasurer post on Lesufi’s ticket – beating Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina at the ballot.

In similar fashion to the electoral outcome during the ANC national conference in Nasrec last December, conference delegates this weekend split power between the three main contending groups.

But so far the national experiment has been unstable, marked by open clashes between ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa and party secretary-general Ace Magashule.

ANC insiders told City Press that overall Makhura would have “been comfortable with a deputy chairperson that is not stronger than him politically”.

“Makhura will not have a strong hold of the provincial executive as power will be divided between him and the deputy.”

The upcoming ANC list conference was a factor at the conference. The outcome meant that Makhura did not have the full assurance he needed to be nominated as premier at upcoming general elections next year.

The process required provinces to send the names of three candidates to the ANC national executive committee, which took the final decision.

At this point nothing prevented Lesufi from raising his hand to be included in the list of three – a move that could have been on the cards in the event that both Maile and Masina made it to the top five, according to their lobbyists.

“What stops branches from nominating the deputy to become the head of government as premier? Makhura is not stupid, he knows this is not a done deal,” said a Maile ally.

The ANC was also drumming up a view that voters in Gauteng were “becoming younger”, which was among the factors that drove the appetite for younger candidates to contest for positions.

Party structures in regions were increasingly led by young people, said a Johannesburg-based leader, citing as an example the new ANC Tshwane regional chairperson Kgosi Maepa.

“In Sedibeng the regional working committee has only one person above the age of 45,” said the insider.

The age factor could be used to unsettle Makhura, although he is in a strong position because all in the contesting group agreed he was a better prospect of smooth succession from his predecessor and now ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile.

His attention would be drawn to ensure the province had sufficient funds to run a formidable election campaign.

According to the province’s financial report, its budget including election allocation went up from R56 million in 2015/16 to R80 million in 2016/17, R91 million in 2017/18 and down to R83 million in 2018/19.

The major sources of funds were through the Gauteng Business Forum, membership fees, direct donations, dinners, golf days and funding from the Gauteng legislature – which was R31 million in 2014/15 and stood at R38 million in 2018/19.

“Some of the businesspeople who had promised to donate funds did not do as promised,” according to a report presented on Friday by outgoing treasurer Ntombi Mekgwe.

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