Billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe has been nominated by a branch in Limpopo to contest the position of ANC president against President Cyril Ramaphosa and former health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize.
A branch that calls its campaign Unity 2022 said Motsepe was the only person “not seen to be corrupt” to lead the country.
The Ward 12 branch in Mandagshoek outside Burgersfort resolved to endorse Motsepe during a Branch General Meeting on Tuesday, because among the current presidential candidates, “none is equal to the task”, according to branch chairperson, Mabushe Makolana.
The branch followed a move of aggrieved party member known as ‘Unity 2022’ which called for the removal of Ramaphosa arguing that he has failed to unite the party, get rid of factions and has a dark cloud on his head over the Phala Phala farm theft saga.
The Limpopo Provincial Executive committee has already endorsed Ramaphosa for a second term as president.
But Makolana said: “The ANC is in a serious crisis, we are not against Ramaphosa but all we are saying is that to rescue the party will take a lot including having someone credible, with a clean reputation at the top.
“Motsepe has made a tremendous contribution to the country, he is a neutral figure, is not aligned with any faction and is trusted even outside our borders, that is the kind of leadership the ANC needs right now,” he told Daily Maverick.
Makolana said the meeting was robust and members voiced their frustration at the state in which the ANC finds itself.
“The general consensus is that he is the right man for the job, we have faith in him.”
While it is very unlikely that the Confederation of African Football president would accept the nomination, it would make for an interesting conference.
Also in the race is Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
Source: Daily Maverick, IOL, Daily Sun, Briefly, image from Twitter: @SannieDaara
