News24 | UPDATE | ANC shakes up Western Cape leadership, Ebrahim Rasool to step in as convenor

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the ANC will set up a provincial task team in the Western Cape.

• The ANC has restructured its Western Cape leadership by forming a provincial task team (PTT), with Ebrahim Rasool proposed as convenor.
• The measure aims to revitalise ANC structures after electoral decline, aligning with national strategies for renewal and recovery.
• The PTT will focus on rebuilding ANC branches and addressing socio-economic issues in the Western Cape.

The ANC has “reconfigured” its leadership structure in the Western Cape with plans to establish a provincial task team (PTT).

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula announced the move at a press briefing in Cape Town on Wednesday.

He said the party was in talks with former South African ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rasool to lead the structure as convenor.

“The reconfiguration is not a punitive measure against the PEC but a proactive and progressive step to enhance the movement’s effectiveness in one of the most strategically important provinces of the republic. The intervention comes at a time when the overall national electoral performance was impacted by a decline in all key provinces, including the Western Cape, which saw a 9% drop in results,” Mbalula said.

He said this makes both Gauteng and the Western Cape central to the ANC’s broader strategy of renewal and recovery.

Mbalula further explained that the move to “strategically reshuffle” the leadership in the Western Cape was a national executive committee (NEC) decision, which followed extensive deliberations to ensure that the process was constitutionally sound and consistent with the principles of democratic centralism.

He added that the intervention was fully aligned with the rules of the ANC constitution.

It is worth noting that the ANC’s constitution is silent on “reconfiguration”, but “dissolution” is catered for.

READ | Nciza, Mtolo demoted as ANC ‘reconfigures’ Gauteng and KZN leadership structures

The reconfiguration of the ANC in the Western Cape follows similar actions in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in February this year. This was after the ANC lost its majority in the two provinces, as well as the Northern Cape.

KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng were given nine months to prepare for an elective conference, which would elect new leaders.

He said the immediate task for the PTT was to rebuild ANC branches, leagues, and regional structures so they can function as vibrant instruments of community development and political education.

Mbalula said:

“It was in this province that generations of African kings, traditional leaders, freedom fighters and revolutionaries were incarcerated in places such as the Castle of Good Hope and Robben Island.”

He added that the Western Cape was a province of immense potential and an economic gateway through its ports and airport, and a strategic centre for trade, tourism, and industry.

“The ANC must therefore strengthen its political and organisational presence in this province to advance transformation and confront the DA’s anti-poor, anti-transformation agenda. The NEC commends the discipline and dedication displayed by the ANC’s structures and members in the Western Cape during this period of transition,” Mbalula said.

While Rasool is set to come in as convenor, Linda Moss will be his first deputy. Vuyiso Tyhalisisu will be the second deputy convenor, Thandi Manikivana Makasi the coordinator, Melanie Tembo the first deputy coordinator, Pholisa Makeleni the second deputy, and Richard Dyantyi the fundraiser.

Tyhalisisu was the chairperson of the now disbanded PEC.

Mbalula said: “We have reinforced the ANC in the Western Cape with seasoned, new and old leadership with different skills. We have deployed them to specific tasks.

“The end goal is to strengthen the ANC in the Western Cape, and that is what we are doing. We have not taken a drastic decision to dissolve anyone; we have reconfigured the leadership, strengthened the leadership with comrades who will add value, and we have taken everyone, irrespective of where they stood in the last conference, to lead the ANC in this province,” Mbalula said.

He said structures in the Western Cape would be briefed over the weekend.

“We have literally gone to the reserves to get the best of the best in the Western Cape, old and young, past and present, to come and contribute. They’ve got the responsibility to make sure that things happen,” Mbalula said.