Cape Town – South African Deputy President David Mabuza’s future is reportedly set to be discussed by the newly-elected African National Congress (ANC) higher-ups.
The uncertainty surrounding Mabuza as SA’s second in command comes after he was not been elected as the ANC’s deputy president at the party’s 55th national elective conference which took place last month.
He declined the nomination to contest for his position.
According to reports, the cloud of uncertainty surrounding Mabuza’s future will clear up in as little as two weeks, with a cabinet reshuffle reportedly imminent.
According to TimesLive, Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula said that Mabuza, as well as the public, would receive answers in two weeks.
“What I can tell you is that we are seized with these matters [the issue of reshuffling the cabinet]. In the next two weeks, not five years, we will be able to give you an answer.
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“The president is also looking at the issue of replacements in the cabinet. So after conference we will be hard at work restructuring,” Mbalula was quoted as saying.
The nominations for the position of deputy president to replace Mabuza included ANC treasurer-general and acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile, ANC NEC member and Justice Minister Ronald Lamola and Eastern Cape Premier and ANC provincial chair Oscar Mabuyane.
Mashatile was voted in and is now expected to take over from Mabuza.
“The conference has sat and we have a new deputy president, the other one is in government and the other one is of the party. Whether or not we would combine or we will allow it [to] go on like that until 2024. At the moment I do want to tell you what I think, I want to give you the actual ANC position. What I can tell you right now is that we are seized with these matters and in the next two weeks, we will be able to give an answer on that,” The Daily Maverick reports Mbalula as saying.
The likes of ministers Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Lindiwe Sisulu are also anticipated to be replaced after contesting and losing against current president Cyril Ramaphosa for the presidency.
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
