By: Thami ka Plaatjie
As the Gauteng winter mercury recedes to below ten degrees, a myriad of delegates will brave the biting cold to head to Silver lakes in Benoni for an appointment with fate.
This is the Gauteng ANC provincial elective conference, the province that has etched its name in the annals of resistance struggle in South Africa with illustrious historical epoch, making encounters such as the 1955 Kliptown Charter conference, the 1956 Treason Trial, the Sharperville, Boipatong and Sebokeng Night Vigil Massacres and the 1976 Soweto Student uprisings.
The ANC in this province is heading for the elective conference over this weekend.
The various regional curtain-raiser conferences have paved the bumpy road for the ultimate clash of titans.
Two contending behemoths will lock horns in full view of the nation for the soul of this organisation. Intense lobbying, horse tradings, and political arm-wrestling and cajoling have been the hallmark of this ultimate clash. The road to this conference has eliminated some corn-beef political clowns and has cut the fragile wings from some juvenile upstarts.
Panyaza Lesufi, the current Provincial Deputy Chair, and MEC for Education will face off with Lebogang Maile, the former ANC Youth leader and current MEC of Local Government and Human Settlements.
Each of the two leaders boasts qualities and an admirable political pedigree that is suitable to lead. They are each, on their own, worthwhile and worthy to lead this province.
Lesufi is a seasoned activist from the days of Sasco, COSAS, and the ANC Youth League. On the other hand, Maile has cut his teeth in the turbulent politics of the Youth League as well.
As an ANC Youth League NEC member under Julius Malema, they steered the organisation to a formidable political factor in the politics of South Africa.
As a MEC, Maile has made critical interventions in sorting out the challenges of local government in Gauteng.
He has held a few portfolios with admirable ease such as Arts and Culture and Economic Development.
Lesufi’s s role in education has been enviable in all respect and his accessibility has put an extra feather in his cap. His rapid response to educational challenges has earned him unspeakable accolades from across sections of the Gauteng population.
He has become the epitome of service delivery at a time when it is dismally craved.
Maile has the support of the youth whereas Lesufi has the support of the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL). While Lesufi is sagacious, Maile is pugnacious. Lesufi is wise, Maile is bold.
Both men are products of the exigencies of our peoples’ struggles. Both have had the temerity to rise to the occasion when it was not fashionable, albeit in different generations.
Maile has in his slate TK Nciza from Ekurhuleni as secretary and Mzi Khumalo from the West Rand as Deputy Chair.
Lesufi’s slate boasts Nomantu Nkomo- Ralehoko, Thulani Kunene from the Vaal, Morajane Mosupyoe, and Dr. Mokhethi.
Each team has been indefatigable in its quest to be representative of all the regions and gender parity.
The delegates are spoilt for choice and the ultimate victor has an unenviable task to reposition and recalibrate Gauteng as a formidable factor in the politics of the country. Recently Gauteng lost its place of pride in setting the pace and tempo of the politics of the country.
This conference must rectify that anomaly. The gravamen of the Gauteng elective conference is the restoration of the pride of the province.
Those who will come as delegates will leave as leaders and this must be for the betterment of the province. The decks are cleared and the leaders must emerge. We hold thumbs for both leaders and hope that the delegates will make a choice in the best interest of both the province and the ANC.
