Author: Kgaogelo Magolego

Former Water Affairs Minister and long serving ANC NEC member Nomvula Mokonyane has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of trying to smear her ahead of the party’s national conference underway in Nasrec at which she’s contesting to become the party’s first deputy secretary-general. Mokonyane was reacting to Ramaphosa’s claim that R3 billion had vanished from a water project in Giyani which was initiated in 2014 when she was minister. Mokonyane spoke to Newsnote on the sidelines of the conference and said she felt targeted by the president. “I don’t know what led the President in the middle of his campaign to…

The ANC may emerge from its 55th national conference held in Nasrec with 7 officials as opposed to the usual top six leaders. As the lobbying for positions continues, a majority of provinces have apparently agreed to the creation of an additional post of a second deputy secretary general. North West provincial chairperson Nono Maloyi confirmed exclusively to Newsnote that the province will be pushing for that in the congress. “What I can tell you is that most of the provinces agree with that constitutional amendment. It will be presented at plenary, we’ll discuss it but we are hopeful that…

The ANC may emerge from its 55th national conference held in Nasrec with 7 officials as opposed to theusual top six leaders. As the lobbying for positions continues, a majority of provinces have apparently agreed to the creation of an additional post of a second deputy secretary general. North West provincial chairperson Nono Maloyi confirmed exclusively to Newsnote that the province willbe pushing for that in the congress. “What I can tell you is that most of the provinces agree with that constitutional amendment. It will be presented at plenary, we’ll discuss it but we are hopeful that plenary will…

As the ANC’s 55th national conference gets into its second day at Nasrec, Johannesburg, various factions are engaged in last minute lobbying as part of a scramble to fill the influential top six positions. The faction backing President Cyril Ramaphosa is being challenged by the former health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize is apparently willing to be persuaded on other positions but is adamant on him getting a second term at the helm of the party. Leading Ramaphosa campaigner Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane who’s currently serving as Eastern Cape Provincial Chairperson and is standing for the Deputy President position accused…

Despite delays, the ANC is adamant it will conclude its 55th national conference by Tuesday. By noon on Saturday, the conference had not started with the first day having only been used for accreditation and the delivery of a political report by President Cyril Ramaphosa. “We are confident that this conference will conclude its business by Monday as planned. Efforts are being made to ensure that all outstanding delegates are being attended to”, said national spokesperson Pule Mabe adding that the meeting will only proceed once a credentials report is adopted. The ANC constitution allows for the conference to continue…

A bullish President Cyril Ramaphosa finally got the ANC 55th national conference underway at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg following delays in the registration of delegates and disagreements within the outgoing National Executive Committee on issues such as outstanding disciplinary cases including those flowing from recent attempts to force him out of the top post. Ramaphosa, who is seeking re-election as party leader, warned delegates that failure to successfully implement the party’s so-called renewal project will further alienate voters. Ramaphosa who campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket blamed the so-called state capture for most of what’s not going right in…

There’s been widespread condemnation of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s latest commitment that South Africa will soon start dismantling its coal mining sector as part of the so-called ‘Just Energy Transition’ to renewable energy sources. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the EFF swiftly rejected Ramaphosa’s commitment made at the COP27 conference underway in Egypt all expressing concerns of a possible jobs bloodbath. The two unions, influential at Eskom and in the mining sector, accused the government of failing to consult coal mining communities most likely to be affected by the…