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.
This is the first nomination the country’s former deputy president has received from provincial structures, most of which have so far given treasurer-general Paul Mashatile the nod for the deputy position.
The nomination of Mlambo-Ngcuka has riled several members of the ANC national executive committee (NEC) because she left the ruling party to join Cope in 2009.
Some ANC members have questioned why the trusted elders would nominate a person who left the party to join the official opposition. They questioned whether she has been back in the party for 10 years, as required by the conference guidelines.
The guidelines for the conference state only those who have been ANC members in good standing for a minimum of 10 years can stand for election.
Speaking to the Mail & Guardian on Tuesday, veterans league president Snuki Zikalala denied Mlambo-Ngcuka had joined the Congress of the People (Cope), saying that he had met her to ascertain the status of her ANC membership.
“I had a meeting because of these rumours and allegations that she was a member of Cope…she said no, she never joined Cope but comrades who were marginalised within the ANC came to consult with her and she did have meetings with them but she never, never joined Cope, never,” he said.
This is in contrast with Mlambo-Ngcuka’s own words. In an interview with the SABC last year, she said she had briefly joined Cope but her heart was with the ANC and she had rejoined the party.
Source: Mail & Guardian, Times Live, News24, image from Twitter: @WomenDeliver