---

·      Losing control of the Limpopo province other than anything else prompted Limpopo ANC chairperson, Stanley Mathabatha, to step aside ·      Mathabatha said his decision was motivated by “concerning misconduct and lack of ANC values” in how the Waterberg and Vhembe conferences were handled ·      Limpopo premier, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, stands a good chance to be elected the province’s first female premier

---

 

Sizwe sama Yende

---

ANC Limpopo chairperson Stanley Mathabatha’s decision to step aside could have been motivated by being a lame duck more than any other thing.

Sources told City Press that Mathabatha might have felt disillusioned because was being deployed to insignificant events and had lost grip of the provincial executive committee, regions and branches which are already focusing on new future leadership.

The former Limpopo premier, who is now Land Reform and Rural Development deputy minister, has decided to step aside in an unprecedented fashion. ANC office-bearers and deployees are required to step aside from organisational and public when they have been criminally charged.

Mathabatha served his notice to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula on Monday.

He said that his decision was motivated by concerning misconduct and lack of ANC values he had observed, particularly in relation to the Vhembe and Waterberg regional conferences.

Mbalula met the Limpopo ANC PEC on Thursday evening.

A senior ANC member said that the writing had been on the wall for Mathabatha.

“As a chairperson, you would be concerned to be deployed to a council instead of a conference in Waterberg. The fact that he raises issues about the conferences in Vhembe and Waterberg tells you that he was not involved as the chairperson and had not been briefed about what happened there,” the member said.

He added that Mathabatha’s decision to defy Limpopo branches to support Dr Zweli Mkhize instead of President Cyril Ramaphosa in the last national ANC conference could still be haunting him.

“Given what happened at Nasrec, some people would want to appear more CR than him. People are already in the future,” he added.

Scales are tilted in favour of Premier Phophi Ramathuba to be elected the first female ANC chairperson in Limpopo when the conference sits, probably before June 2026.  

The Vhembe, Sekhukhune and Waterberg regions are supporting her and were won by her allies. The PEC is exploring a possibility of convening an earlier provincial conference before the expiry of the current leadership’s term in June 2026.

Provincial secretary, Reuben Madadzhe, has indicated that the party would like to have a leader before the 2026 local government elections.

Newly elected Waterberg regional chairperson Jack Maeko has this week thrown his weight behind Ramathuba’s campaign. Addressing Waterberg delegates on Monday, Maeko said that all Limpopo premiers had historically been ANC chairpersons.

“We’re saying the same must apply to Comrade Dr Phophi Ramathuba. The agenda for women emancipation is unstoppable. We must support our mothers and give them an opportunity to lead,” Maeko said.

He took a swipe at Mathabatha’s step aside as serving his own self-interest. “It can’t be correct that when you decide to step aside, you give excuses about the conference of Vhembe and Waterberg. If you step aside, do it voluntarily,” Maeko said.

Ramathuba’s challenge is the Peter Mokaba region lead by Polokwane mayor, John Mpe. Despite being under fire for mounting allegations of corruption in the city, Mpe is campaigning to challenge Ramathuba for the chairpersonship.

Mpe could be joined by Mopani district mayor and regional chairperson, Pule Shai. There is a slight chance that Shai could also decide to contest the top position.