Cape Town – ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile has said that it’s too early to discuss President Cyril Ramaphosa’s succession, despite speculation that he could be the natural successor after Ramaphosa’s two terms.
According to Sowetan LIVE, Mashatile avoided addressing questions about ANC succession, saying that discussions on who would follow Ramaphosa were premature.
He was speaking on the sidelines of an ANC event on Monday.
Mashatile said that the matter would be addressed if and when the time comes.
He said that the current focus is on rebuilding ANC branches and preparing for upcoming regional and provincial conferences.
“The [general elective] conference is in 2027, so it’s what, three years away. So, I am saying it’s too early to talk about who’s going to be president. Remember, at the moment, we are busy rebuilding branches,” EWN quoted Mashatile as saying.
He added: “A lot of our branches are going to BGMs [branch general meetings], they are going to regional conferences, and they are going to have provincial conferences, and those are the people who will then start to say who they want to lead. So, I think we should not rush.”
This comes amid hesitation from the ANC’s coalition partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA), about working with an ANC led by Mashatile, the report said.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
