ANC NGC: Leaders rumoured to be eyeing presidency seat acting coy

As the African National Congress (ANC)’s fifth National General Council (NGC) wraps up on Thursday, leaders rumoured to be eyeing the party’s presidency seat have been acting coy.

Cyril Ramaphosa’s term as ANC president expires in 2027, and with him unlikely to be seeking a third term, succession talks have already started.

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The NGC, which has been taking place at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, has once again been used as an unofficial barometer for aspiring candidates to gauge their support with the ANC branches.

Over the past couple of years, load shedding has been one of the biggest headaches for government and business.

With load shedding events significantly reduced in the last two years, it’s no surprise the man hired to do just that, Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramakgopa, is getting presidency shouts.

However, speaking tothe media on the sidelines of the NGC, Ramakgopa downplayed any presidential talks.

This is the same stance that Parliament’s Speaker, Thoko Didiza,took.

“I’ve seen the interest, particularly from the members of the media, which is very intriguing. If I were to say the least, because all of us know the processes of the ANC and how the elective conferences are prepared for, and I just think we need to be patient and wait for the processes,” she said.

Another rumoured presidential hopeful, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula, also dismissed any claims that the NGC was being used for anything other than its intended purpose of reviewing the party’s midterm performance.