Ramaphosa emerges as frontrunner in ANC presidential race

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has emerged as the frontrunner among the ANC's branches in the race for the party presidency ahead of his main contender, former African Union Commission chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

The last two ANC provinces to announce their nominations – KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo – held their provincial general council meetings today, with Ramaphosa nominated by 1 862 branches nationally ahead of Dlamini-Zuma’s 1 441.

While Ramaphosa made a clean sweep in Limpopo with 391 branches to Dlamini-Zuma’s 104, KwaZulu-Natal swung her way as expected, with 433 of 688 branches nominating the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member as their choice of president at the elective conference later this month.

However, Ramaphosa received nomination from 193 KwaZulu-Natal branches, something of a coup in itself given the province’s history of acting as a united voting bloc in support of President Jacob Zuma at the ANC’s Polokwane conference in 2007 and again at Mangaung in 2012. A further 56 branches abstained from choosing a presidential candidate, while only six nominated ANC treasurer general Dr Zweli Mkhize.

Apart from the branches, the ANC’s Youth League, Women’s League and Veterans all have 60 votes each at conferences. The Youth and Women’s Leagues are expected to back Dlamini-Zuma, apart from a few dissenting members, while Ramaphosa can count on the backing of the Veterans.

The nine Provincial Executive Committees each have 27 votes at conference and are expected to vote along similar patterns to those which their PGC nominated on. (Mail & Guardian)