- The ANC Veterans League is backing former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka for the party's deputy presidency position.
- They join the Women’s League in throwing their weight behind Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term as president.
- However, the Youth League decided over the weekend to back Zweli Mkhize for president.
The ANC Veterans League task team has thrown its weight behind Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as its preferred candidate for party deputy president.
They also want President Cyril Ramaphosa to be given a second term as party president.
The Veterans League consolidated its nominations on Monday, as the deadline for submissions drew to a close.
Mlambo-Ngcuka has an extensive political resumé that includes being the country’s deputy president from 2005 to 2008.
Once she vacated that position, she went on to serve as United Nations under-secretary-general and executive director of UN Women from August 2013 to August 2021.
Before this, she served as minister of minerals and energy from 1999 to 2005, and deputy minister of trade and industry from 1996 to 1999.
Mlambo-Ngcuka also served as a Member of Parliament between 1994 and 1996, as part of South Africa’s first democratic government.
The Veterans League also endorsed Gwen Ramokgopa for secretary-general, Febe Potgieter-Gqubule as her deputy, and Barbara Creecy as treasurer-general.
Joel Netshitenzhe, who was appointed by the ANC’s national working committee (NWC) in January "to evaluate and make informed referrals" to the party on how to implement the Zondo Commission's recommendations, has been nominated for the position of national chairperson.
Two of the ANC’s three leagues, the Veterans League and Women’s League, endorsed Ramaphosa for a second term over the weekend, as the deadline for the submission of preferred candidates drew to a close on Monday.
While the Veterans League threw its weight behind Mlambo-Ngcuka for ANC deputy president, the Women’s League chose Defence Minister Thandi Modise as its preferred candidate.
Meanwhile, the deeply divided Youth League chose to back embattled former health minister Zweli Mkhize and Paul Mashatile for party president and deputy, respectively.
The ANC’s 55th national elective conference is scheduled to take place between 16 and 20 December.
With nominations finally closed, the party will now have to consolidate outcomes from various branch general meetings before making them public.