Irene - ANC secretary general Ace Magashule has shot down speculation that ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member Senzo Mchunu would be in President Cyril Ramaphosa's Cabinet, saying Mchunu will be working in a full time post for the party.
Speaking to journalists at the sidelines of a special NEC meeting in Irene on Sunday, Magashule confirmed that Mchunu will be full time at Luthuli House as head of the organising subcommittee, along with North West's former secretary Dakota Legoete.
There has been wide speculation that Mchunu, a former KwaZulu-Natal chairperson, was touted to take over the state security ministry.
"Senzo will be chairing organising full time as well as Legoete," Magashule said.
Mchunu was one of Ramaphosa's key campaigners in KZN and also his preference for the secretary general position in the run-up to the party's 54th elective conference in December.
He narrowly lost the position controversially against Magashule in December during the party's national elections.
Some delegates had vowed to take the matter to the courts.
'Not here to discuss deputy president'
According to some in the ANC, Mchunu's move to Luthuli House would help strip some power from Magashule, who is often seen to be at odds with Ramaphosa and some in the top 6.
Magashule said the NEC meeting would focus on the party's preparations for the road map to the 2019 general elections, as well as its sub-committees.
He also said Ramaphosa would discuss whom he wanted to take over the state deputy president position with the top 6 officials.
The matter did not form part of the NEC's agenda, he said.
"The president will discuss with us and various structures and alliance partners. It's not a matter for the NEC. We will be engaging ourselves (top 6) on the Cabinet reshuffle," he said.
Magashule, however, could not say when the announcement would be made.
ANC deputy president and Mpumalanga premier David "DD" Mabuza was expected to take over the role of deputy president.
Sources within the NEC told News24 that Mabuza was likely to take over Ramaphosa's previous role.
One NEC member told News24 that Mabuza was the man for the job.
"No one has done what DD managed in Mpumalanga. He consolidated the province and with him, we can get a two-thirds majority in 2019. He is a crowd puller and no one can compare with him. It's unanimous. Any other dissenting voice is baseless."
