Gauteng has thrown its weight behind former ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe for the position of ANC treasurer general.
The announcement comes hours after delegates attending the 55th national conference started voting for the top seven positions at Nasrec on Sunday.
“We have been engaging the leadership of provinces and Gauteng has agreed to support comrade Pule Mabe as TG,” said Ekurhuleni regional chairperson Masina on the sidelines of the conference.
Mabe and Masina, longtime allies, were going to face off with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s adviser Bejani Chauke for the same position.
NEC member Gwen Ramokgopa’s name was raised from the floor for the same position, she reached the threshold and will be on the ballot — making the position of treasurer the most contested in quantity.
“We had to look at the internal democratic process of the organisation to come to that decision, and then said let us pull all of our forces together because comrade Pule supports Zweli Mkhize for president, Paul Mashatile for deputy president.
“Phumulo Masualle for secretary-general, the first deputy secretary Nomvula Mokonyane and comrade Ronalda Nalumango for the second deputy secretary-general, Stan Mathabatha for national chair.”
Masina said he had demobilised his campaign after the decision.
“Unfortunately at the time that we had agreed, the ballot had already been printed and people were already voting but we have demobilised so that we don’t divide our support in the outcome of the position of treasurer-general.”
Masina said the pair were not under “any duress or instructed by the bishops, as we call them to take this decision, it is in the best interest that we work together to achieve a broader objective.”
The ANC, he said, now needs to change and “cannot to continue the same way and we have seen many of our people who are being bought, it is because they are victims of the ANC that is not creating necessary jobs.”
He added that, “as a self-respecting man, who will be joining the unemployment queue by January 1, I will not be taking R1,000 from another man to vote this way or that way so the ANC needs to do things differently and that’s why we want change.”
He said when delegates and the media see the outcome of the conference on the treasurer-general position, it must be clear that Gauteng supported Mabe.
Masina said the decision was taken because the pair have common interests to serve South Africans.
“If you look at the nominations it was logical,” he said.
Mabe said: “It is not in our interest to participate or be part of anything that might undermine the very unity that we have kept alive all these years.”
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