The ANC in Limpopo has dismissed allegations that its provincial chairperson Stan Mathabatha who supported President Cyril Ramaphosa’s rival Zweli Mkhize during the 55th national elective conference has joined former President Jacob Zuma’s new MK party.
Mathabatha is not the only politician suspected of joining Zuma and his allies. Nkosazana Dlamini- Zuma who also contested Ramaphosa for the top position before Mkhize recently announced her retirement from parliament. Dlamini-Zuma is also suspected of joining the ranks with her former husband Zuma to eject the ANC from power ahead of the much-anticipated elections to be held this year.
A twitter poster doing the rounds that Mathabatha has joined Zuma’s MK party has irked the ANC. “He has joined the @MkhontoweSizwe.He is just waiting for the January 8 party to be over. He is not even seen on the ground in Mpumalanga. Even during the meeting of provincial chairs with Ramaphosa, He never attended,” twitted a person known as comrade Mdu.
Limpopo ANC provincial spokesperson Jimmy Machaka labelled the allegations as malicious, misleading and deceptive.
“The African National Congress in Limpopo has learned of a misleading poster
circulating on social media, falsely asserting that Provincial Chairperson Comrade Chupu Stanley Mathabatha has joined the MK Party. The ANC Limpopo unequivocally condemns this deceptive poster. The poster does not represent the current state of affairs. The ANC Limpopo PEC rejects any attempts to associate the Provincial Chairperson with MK Party,” Machaka said.
“The ANC views this malicious poster as an intentional effort to cast doubt on the integrity and commitment of the Provincial Chairperson to the unity and renewal of the African National Congress. Comrade Chupu Mathabatha remains a steadfast member and leader of the ANC, and we urge ANC members and the public not to be misled by this baseless and anonymous poster.”
Mathabatha earlier was accused of avoiding Ramaphosa and attending private parties with his allies every time he visited the province even during his official visits and opted to send his crony Treasury MEC Charley Sekoati who is not even a member of ANC PEC in Limpopo. When pressed for comment by The Azanian, he however refuted the claims.
Mathabatha's ally Mkhize lost to Ramaphosa who walloped him with 2 476 votes after receiving 1887 votes. Mathabatha lost to national chairperson Gwede Mantashe after he defied the Limpopo mandate by chanting “Amabubezi” slogan. Some ANC PEC members labelled Mathabatha a sell-out who is remote controlled by former president Zuma and his allies.
Mathabatha also suffered another blow when his allies who had an ambition to succeed him were rejected by branches of the ANC in Limpopo. Florence Radzilani and Nkakareng Rakgoale failed to make it into the ANC Limpopo top 20 candidate which was adopted by the Limpopo PEC. They were toppled by Health MEC Poppy Ramathuba with more than 390 branch nominations.
Machaka defended Mathabatha saying Mathabatha doesn’t avoid President Ramaphosa. “The premier/chairperson was either held up or had prior arrangements which were unavoidable,” Machaka said.
Meanwhile, the ANC Limpopo congratulates Ward 29 Branch in Collins Chabane Sub Region, Vhembe Region, for being named a joint winner of the prestigious Sol Plaatjie Award, recognizing it as one of the best-performing ANC Branches in the country.
Machaka said: “The ANC provincial secretary Reuben Madadzhe expresses overwhelming pride in this achievement, highlighting it as a testament to the unwavering commitment of the ANC in Limpopo to its mission and the unity and renewal program.”
ANC Limpopo provincial spokesperson Jimmy Machaka.
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