Cape Town – The office of South Africa’s deputy president, David Mabuza has confirmed that he had informed President Cyril Ramaphosa of his intentions to step down if the ANC’s new deputy, Paul Mashatile is Ramaphosa’s preferred choice for the role of the country’s deputy president.
Mabuza was not elected as the ANC’s deputy president at the party’s 55th national elective conference which took place in December last year. It was also where Mashatile was voted in as the party’s deputy president.
According to News24, Mabuza’s health issues played a role in his decision to step away from the role of deputy president. Mabuza reportedly received medical attention in Russia.
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The publisher further reported that Mabuza was open to the idea of stepping aside in December, when he declined the nomination for deputy president of the ANC.
The Mail and Guardian reported that Mabuza’s spokesperson said in a statement that “whilst it is a fact that there is no pronouncement by the president on any changes to the executive, the deputy president has, within the context of the ANC leadership changes, taken a considered view that it is important to align party leadership roles with government responsibilities”.
“To this end, he has engaged the president on his intention to resign in order to foster leadership synergies and cohesion both in the party and the state,” the spokesperson added.
“To this end, he (Mabuza) has engaged the president on his intention to resign in order to foster leadership synergies and cohesion both in the party and the state. The deputy president is awaiting a decision to that effect,” the Daily Maverick reported Mabuza’s spokesperson as saying.
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
