Ramaphosa allies dominate ANC national working committee selection

ANC President Cyril Rampahosa during his closing address at Nasrec Expo Centre.

• The ANC national executive committee (NEC) met for its first extended meeting a month after election at the ANC conference.
• The NEC meeting discussed ANC resolutions and appointed 20 members to form part of its national working committee (NWC).
• Several ANC members elected to form part of the NWC were deemed as “friendly” with President Cyril Ramaphosa. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s grip on power in the ANC could seem strengthened by the selection of key allies as members of the ANC national working committee (NWC).  

The party’s NWC is filled with members who have publicly backed the president, including current Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele.  

Kubayi previously ran for the deputy presidency position and was a key supporter of Ramaphosa.

Sources inside the ANC NEC informed News24 of the elected NWC.   

READ | Mabuza ready to step aside for Mashatile to serve as country’s deputy president

The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) held its first meeting this weekend, following the ANC national conference held in December. That conference saw Ramaphosa’s re-election.

The gathering was also influential because of the NEC selected by ANC delegates.

The committee, the highest decision-making body between conferences, elected various people deemed as key allies of Ramaphosa.  

The ANC hosted an NEC meeting on Saturday and will hold an NEC lekgotla on Sunday.  

The party had a long list of agenda items to tick off, with a looming Cabinet reshuffle expected to take shape in the coming days or weeks because of the conference outcomes.  

The ANC NEC elected 20 members to its NWC. This committee helps run the daily decisions of the ANC and makes recommendations to the NEC. 

Newly elected NWC members also seen as key supporters of the president include ANC NEC members: Mmamoloko Kubayi, Barbara Creecy, Enoch Godongwana, Zizi Kodwa, Mondli Gungubele, Sibongile Besani, Nonceba Mhlauli, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Senzo Mchunu and Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. The other NWC members selected are Angie Motshekga, Tina Joemat-Peterson, Ronald Lamola, David Mahlobo, ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina, Thandi Modise, Mdumiseni Ntuli, Mduduzi Manana, Peggy Nkonyeni and Thembi Nkadimeng.  

The ANC NEC also grappled with critical decisions the party had to take, News24 has been informed. 

The looming Cabinet reshuffle, which has been foreshadowed by Ramaphosa and ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula is likely to be discussed at the meetings. 

A key outcome of the ANC’s December conference was the shift in the power of the ANC deputy presidency from David Mabuza to former ANC treasurer Paul Mashatile. 

News24 previously reported that Mabuza had indicated to Ramaphosa his intention to resign as deputy president of the country.  

David Mabuza has bee nlargely criticized for covert approach in politics. Photo: City Press

The ANC is also expected to make changes to its representatives in Parliament, with Mashatile likely to be included as an MP, News24 understands.  

If Mashatile were elected as deputy president, he would need to be sworn in as an MP.  

News24 has also been informed that the ANC NEC deliberated on critical resolutions taken at the ANC conference. Some of these resolutions include state-owned enterprises such as Eskom.  

The ANC had resolved that the government should move Eskom from the custodian of the ministry of state-owned enterprises to the ministry of mineral resources.  

The NEC was concerned about the timeframe of implementing resolutions taken at the conference because the ANC faces its last year in office ahead of the 2024 general election. 

Sources told News24 that there were concerns about how quick and implementable the resolutions would be. 

Ramaphosa is expected to address the lekgotla in Kempton Park on Sunday, where the extended ANC leadership meeting is being held until Monday.