By Simon Nare
Gauteng ANC chairman and premier Panyaza Lesufi has revealed that he is ready and willing to step aside if the party leadership asks him to as part of the impending reconfiguration of the provincial executive committee.
The party’s national executive committee resolved at the weekend to reconfigure Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provincial structures following their dismal performances at the polls in the national and provincial elections.
Secretary-general Fikile Mbalula announced in a post-NEC press briefing on Monday that the national executive committee has opted to strengthen the two structures instead of disbanding them.
On Tuesday, Mbalula muzzled all the structures in the two provinces from commenting on the reconfiguration matter. In a letter sent to the provinces, Mbalula instructed that no one, including secretaries from branches, regions and provinces or any member should comment on the matter.
“This serves to notify you that the secretary-general of the ANC is the only person mandated to speak on the NEC decisions with regards the provinces of KZN and Gauteng until next week when the matter will be finalised by the national officials and national working committee as per NEC decision.
“We therefore kindly request that spokespersons, leaders, members of the ANC and its structures not to make any pronouncement on the above matter,” reads the letter.
Announcing the reconfiguration, Mbalula said the process would two-fold: dissolution and reinforcement, which has raised eyebrows, with many believing it is was a move designed to disband the top five in the provinces.
It has now emerged that the top five may be replaced by NEC members who would be deployed to the two provinces.
In a radio interview with Clement Manyathela on 702 on Tuesday, Lesufi somewhat confirmed that the reconfiguration would entail removing provincial leaders.
“Yes, if the ANC says so. I will be the first one to accept and I will be the first one to go to our branches and say this what our national leadership says. We are not a federal party. We are a party that is led by national leadership.
“And if national leadership feels that fresh ideas are needed, we will be the first ones to accept and welcome that. And I am glad that we are involved, we were in the NEC ourselves. We listened to what people were saying about our province. To me its enriching,” said Lesufi.
He added that it was humbling to sit in the NEC for three days listening to what the national leadership was saying about the state of the province and pointing out areas that needed to be worked on to regain support. Lesufi said the provincial leadership appreciated the intervention by the national leadership.
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