ANC RELEASES CANDIDATE LISTS FOR TOP PARTY

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 004157 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2017 TAGS: PGOV SF SUBJECT: ANC RELEASES CANDIDATE LISTS FOR TOP PARTY POSITIONS Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Donald Teitelbaum. Reasons 1.4( b) and (d). ¶1. (U) The ANC on 6 December publicly announced its candidates for the top party positions, as well as candidates for the National Executive Committee (NEC). Each of the top six positions will be contested by two candidates, almost all of whom are firmly grounded in either the Mbeki or Zuma camp. The only name in question is Tokyo Sexwale, who was nominated for the position of Chairman and who is running against a steadfastly loyal Mbeki-ite. The nominations list is final, as all candidates have accepted (only ForMin Dlamini-Zuma was nominated for two positions, but declined to be nominated for Chair, instead accepting the nomination for Deputy President). The candidates are as follows: ANC President: President Thabo Mbeki and ANC Deputy President Jacob Zuma ANC Deputy President: ForMin Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (pro-Mbeki),ANC Secretary General Kgalema Motlanthe (pro-Zuma) ANC Chairperson: ANC Policy Advisor Joel Netshitenzhe (pro-Mbeki),former Gauteng Premier Tokyo Sexwale (unclear) Secretary General: Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota SIPDIS (pro-Mbeki),SACP Chair Gwede Mantashe (pro-Zuma) Deputy Secretary General: Public Works Minister Thoko Didiza (pro-Mbeki),Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete (pro-Zuma) Treasurer General: Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (pro-Mbeki),former Mpumalanga Premier Mathews Phosa (pro-Zuma) ¶2. (U) As for the NEC, 158 names have been submitted, but only the top sixty will be accepted. (NOTE: The 66-member NEC consists of the top six official positions, plus sixty additional members. END NOTE). Only seven of the current NEC members were not renominated, including MP Kader Asmal, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Mathews Phosa (who will automatically become NEC members if elected to top positions),Enoch Godongwana, Dumisani Makhaye, Free State Premier Beatrice Marshoff, and Dullah Omar. Potentially prominent newcomers to the NEC include COSATU President Willie Madisha, former Deputy Health Minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, former First Lady Winnie Mandela, ANC Youth League Leader Fikile Mbalula, DepForMin Sue van der Merwe, and Tokyo Sexwale. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: While the list gives insight into the front-runners, it has also raised process questions. According to official ANC documents outlining the nominations process, the names of the top three candidates for each of the top six positions would be nominated. Since only two people are running for each position, it is also unclear if Sexwale's name was added by the Zuma camp after Dlamini-Zuma backed out, or if he came in third. Speculations about Sexwale's overnight loyalty to Zuma have surfaced, but may stem from the simple fact he is running against Netshitenzhe, who is clearly in the Mbeki camp. END COMMENT. BOST