Latest news with #ThirdTerm
The Citizen
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Will new ANC faction take over in Limpopo?
Factions aligned to Maropene Ramokgopa and Khumbudzo Ntshavheni are vying for power in Limpopo. A powerful political clique aligned to the ANC's second deputy Secretary-General Maropene Ramokgopa is instilling fear among senior ANC politicians in Limpopo ahead of the party's provincial elective conference in 2026. The new faction has been dubbed 'The Third Term'. It consists of Polokwane mayor Makoro John Mpe and Mopani district municipality mayor Pule Shayi. Both Mpe and Shayi, who are allies of Ramokgopa, won the Peter Mokaba and Norman Mashabane regional elective conferences respectively in the past few days. Norman Mashabane is the biggest region with 129 ANC branches, followed by Vhembe with 127, Sekhukhune 118 and 113 for Peter Mokaba. Peter Mokaba is the economic hub of the province and the seat of the province's capital, Polokwane. Another faction, The Straight Line, led by Capricorn district municipality mayor Mamedupi Teffo, lost the Peter Mokaba conference on Thursday to Mpe's 'Third Term' slate. It is aligned to Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who is also a member of the ANC's national executive committee (NEC) and national working committee (NWC). Both Ramokgopa and Ntshavheni are allegedly working around the clock to garner support in Limpopo for their election in the upcoming ANC national elective conference in 2027. ALSO READ: Limpopo ANC conference rocked by membership manipulation claims A senior politician in the Norman Mashabane region said the plan for 'The Third Term' faction is for Mpe to replace Stan Mathabatha as Limpopo ANC chairperson and Shayi to replace MEC for social development Florence Radzilani as the deputy chair at the upcoming provincial elective conference. Political analyst Enoch Maponya said ANC regional contests are build-up events for both the provincial and national elective conferences. 'The outcome of these conferences often charts the way forward for the prospective leadership at the upper structure,' he said. Maponya said it is rumoured that Mpe's allies have begun to tout him for the plum job of ANC provincial chair. 'Most see him as the most powerful comrade to replace Mathabatha, while others support Limpopo premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba. Ramathuba has been credited for pushing service delivery-related issues in the province,' he said. NOW READ: Tensions erupt in Limpopo ANC after vandalism of spokesperson's bakkie
The Citizen
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Tensions erupt in Limpopo ANC after vandalism of spokesperson's bakkie
Jimmy Machaka's support for a rival ANC leadership slate may have led to an attack on his bakkie. Tension in the ANC in Limpopo is ratcheting up following a Tuesday night attack on a bakkie belonging to the party's provincial spokesperson, Jimmy Machaka. The tyres were slashed while he was presiding over a media briefing in Polokwane. Machaka said damage inflicted on the car could run to R13 000. Speaking to The Citizen at the Polokwane police station, where he laid charges, Machaka said he wasn't sure who was responsible for the attack. But he crossed the floor earlier this year to align with the electoral slate of Peter Mokaba regional contender Mamedupi Teffo and former ANC youth league provincial chair Tonny Rachoene. He was previously part of the 'Third Term' slate, which backs Polokwane mayor John Mpe's re-election for a third term. ALSO READ: ANC urged to fast-track dispute resolution in Limpopo He said the Third Slate people backing Polokwane mayor John Mpe's re-election for a third term were 'angry because they did not see it coming'. He said it was not the first attack on him: 'Those who want me, let us go into the conference ring and battle. I support Teffo and Rachoene because they support service delivery and I cannot support mediocrity,' he said. In their response, spokesperson for the ANC in the Peter Mokaba region, Adolph Rapetsoa said: 'We sympathise with Machaka for the damage caused on his vehicle. 'But we don't agree with him on dragging the names of our leaders and organisation into the matter. That is malicious.' NOW READ: 'Third Term' slate shines at Limpopo ANC elective conference
The Citizen
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
ANC urged to fast-track dispute resolution in Limpopo
Leadership battles delay the Peter Mokaba regional conference as ANC branches call for urgent dispute resolution. The ANC regional task team (RTT) in the Peter Mokaba region is pleading with the office of the party's secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, to enforce the national dispute resolution committee (NDRC) mechanism to fast track resolving disputes. This after disputes were lodged by branches during branch general meetings (BGMs), ahead of the regional elective conferences. The conferences are a build-up to the provincial elective conference, which will then culminate into the national elective conference in 2027. ANC in turmoil over unresolved disputes The conference cannot sit if the disputes are not completely resolved. That is why the conference at the Peter Mokaba region was postponed for the fourth time last weekend. The region is one of the most influential between ANC elective conferences. It has a total of 113 branches and more than a quarter of them lodged complaints with the party's provincial and national dispute resolution committees. ALSO READ: 'Third Term' slate shines at Limpopo ANC elective conference This led to Mbalula's office ordering the NDRC to work with speed for the conference to take place. In a letter to the ANC provincial secretary, Vhamusanda Madadzhe, Mbalula confirmed they were working with the NDRC to speed up the process and ensure the conferences go ahead. The Citizen understands out of 31 disputes, the NDRC is left with 10, which are yet to be finalised. 10 of 31 disputes finalised Last week, ANC Limpopo chair Stan Mathabatha told the Norman Mashabane regional conference that conferences should be about branches and not factional slates. Mathabatha urged a faction led by former regional secretary Goodman Mtileni to rally behind the winning faction, called the 'Third Term', led by Pule Shayi. Shayi won the conference on a clean sweep, winning all the top five positions with big margins. ALSO READ: Limpopo ANC conference rocked by membership manipulation claims ANC Limpopo spokesperson Jimmy Machaka said the party's constitution provides that branch members can lodge a dispute to the provincial dispute resolution committee within 48 hours after the BGM. He said it was an ANC tradition that those who have grievances during BGMs must lodge a dispute through party structures. 'It is constitutional to lodge complains through relevant structures of the ANC as provided by the constitution,' he said. Party's constitution 'But in the same breath, it is unconstitutional to take the grievances to a court of law because our structures are more capable of disposing any dispute than the courts.' While many in the ANC are waiting for Peter Mokaba region to conclude its business, the question on everyone's lips is: who will win? Will it be ANC bigwig John Mpe, who is vying for a third term, or it will be Limpopo premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba's crony, Mamedupi Teffo?' ALSO READ: ANC elective conference in Limpopo stalled by disputes Ramathuba is fighting for her group to win all the province's four regional conferences in order for her to be elected the party's provincial chair at the upcoming ANC Limpopo elective conference. She has already won Sekhukhune and Vembe regions, but has lost in the Norman Mashabane region. A win in Peter Mokaba region would ensure her route to the top provincial job. A win for Ramathuba in region would ensure route to top job But if Mpe wins the conference, a different political story would be told and a new chapter for the ANC would be opened. Mpe, who doubles up as Polokwane municipality mayor and the South African Local Government Association provincial chair, is believed by many to be the best contender against Ramathuba.
