EDUCATION MEC Panyaza Lesufi was elected Gauteng ANC chairman in the hotly contested conference that produced a mixed bag of the top five from two rival factions.
Panyaza emerged victorious over cooperative governance MEC Lebohang Maile with a narrow margin of 575 to 543 as results were announced early Monday morning June 27.
It was not a clean sweep as delegates did not vote along factional lines. The Adiwele faction led by Maile scores some significant victories in the context with the Panya Panya faction as Thembinkosi "TK" Nciza was elected provincial secretary and Tasneem Motara his deputy.
Both were contesting in the Adiwele faction.
The province is the first so far, with a top-five dominated by women after Nomantu Nkomo Ralehoko was elected deputy chairperson and Morakane Mosopyoe elected treasurer.
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Both were contesting in the Panya Panya faction.
Maile graciously accepted the results congratulating Panyaza immediately after the announcement.
The outcome of the conference is a boost for President Cyril Ramaphosa's bid for a second term even though it’s a small margin and also the fact that it was not a clean slate.
It also leaves the political ambitions of treasurer-general Paul Mashatile up in the air even though he received a warm welcome when he was introduced on the podium to close the conference as Ramaphosa was out of the country to attend a G7 meeting in Germany.
After the nominations of additional members concluded early Monday morning, the conference was adjourned
The voting of additional members was set to take place at a provincial general council set down for July 2-3.
