Hajra Omarjee and Karima Brown
12 January 2009
Johannesburg — THE African National Congress (ANC) has postponed its national lists conference, which was scheduled for this weekend, as provincial processes are yet to be completed.
The delay came amid preparations for the January 28 by-elections in several provinces, with party insiders saying they were "thinly spread" and required more time.
KwaZulu-Natal , Limpopo and Northern Cape convened provincial lists conferences this weekend with delegates endorsing ANC president Jacob Zuma and P resident Kgalema Motlanthe as the number one and two candidates respectively.
Zuma and Motlanthe's endorsements are likely to be repeated by all ANC provinces in spite of rumours that Motlanthe was "unwilling" to serve under a Zuma presidency.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe told Business Day that Motlanthe would be the party's number two on the list and serve in the cabinet.
"There is no debate about him coming back to cabinet. It's not up to individuals," Mantashe said.
He was responding to questions about whether Motlanthe would be willing to return to the executive in light of his initial reluctance to be deployed to the cabinet during former president Thabo Mbeki's tenure.
Youth league leaders and ANC veterans including Julius Malema, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Fikile Mbalula and retired ANC veteran Mac Maharaj appeared on some provincial lists.
Other notables such as Young Communist League secretary Buti Manamela also featured high on the lists.
Another reason for the delay in the lists process is to allow enough time for a proper objections process in case some candidates have to be removed.
While some ANC leaders are still hoping to make the grade, others have already indicated that they would retire.
Minister in the Presidency Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has indicated that she would not be in the cabinet despite remaining a member of the ANC's national executive committee.
Malema, while a hot favourite among the rank and file, is a full-time employee of the youth league and as such would have to vacate his post as league president if he wanted to go to P arliament.
Mantashe said that while stringent requirements would be adhered to, the 25 top names on the national list would not be changed.
The party's provincial chairmen are expected to top the province-to-province list and are first in line as candidates for premier.
Mantashe said popularity alone did not guarantee the nominees positions . ANC provincial leaders in KwaZulu-Natal , Free State, Limpopo and Gauteng look poised to take over the premierships.
In terms of the constitution, the provincial legislatures elect provincial premiers and because the ANC holds the lion's share in the provincial legislatures, its candidates are likely to be endorsed .
The process is likely to affect prospective defectors to the Congress of the People as ANC leaders adopt a wait-and-see approach on whether they are likely to be returned as candidates.
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