Johnathan Paoli
THE ANC’s NEC has declared its intent to remove Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo as principal of its leadership school and replace him with former Gauteng Premier David Makhura.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula confirmed the committee’s decision and other outcomes of the NEC meeting on Wednesday from Luthuli House, Johannesburg.
Mbalula emphasised that Masondo’s replacement was purely for alignment reasons, and said Makhura is expected to contribute his skills as a full-time deployee and the head of political education for the party.
“Makhura is the political commissar of the ANC, he is the man responsible for ideological thinking in the movement,” Mbalula said.
Rumours of conflict over control of the school have arisen, following disagreements on recent Zimbabwean elections which left party members split, however Mbalula denied that the decision to replace Masondo had any connection to the committee’s decision.
The seminar, titled “The State of Democracy in the SADC Region: A Reflection on the National Elections of Zimbabwe”, was scheduled for 7 September but rescheduled for 28 September after Mbalula allegedly threatened action against those involved if the event proceeded.
Mbalula previously said that the ANC’s solidarity with Zimbabwe’s governing Zanu-PF was non-negotiable, with his utterances triggering what some have called a turf war over the political school’s autonomy in light of the accusations of election rigging in Harare.
In addition, while denying the rumours that Masondo’s removal was a political move, the SG said that the school should not be used by any group as a propaganda tool, and that a platform should not have solely been given to one side in the ongoing Zimbabwean crisis.
Despite his removal, Masondo is expected to continue contributing and play a role in the school of leadership.
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