Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

2 min read | 20:32 pm CAT

Political changes are afoot in Gauteng, with the provincial legislature to hold a special sitting tomorrow to elect a new premier for the province. The future of current premier David Makhura was already in the balance after Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi was elected ANC chairperson in the province.

City Press reported that the top six of the ANC’s national executive committee interviewed three candidates for the position: Lesufi, provincial working committee member Kedibone Diale, deputy provincial secretary, and MEC for infrastructure Tasneem Motara.

In a discussion with Radio Islam International, political analyst Prof Andre Duvenhage said the ANC as a party is running into trouble on provincial and national levels regarding its support base.

According to Prof Duvenhage, the centre of power within the ANC should be reflected in the leadership that controls the specific province.

David Makhura stated that he is prepared to step down, making it easy for a successor to take over. Prof Duvenhage said that the most likely candidate is Panyaza Lesufi.

With the power base of the ANC and the positions of the three candidates within the structures of the ANC, there is no doubt that Panyaza Lesufi is the more influential person. He would bring a lot of popular support, per Prof Duvenhage.

Prof Duvenhage characterized and summarised the leadership of outgoing premier David Makhura as relatively high.

“He tried to his best under the circumstances. It was a difficult time is Gauteng as a province and he relatively stabilized an environment that is characterized by factionalism, internal conflict and strive,” he says.

Regarding the broader scheme of things, Prof Duvenhage said the ANC should have been responsible in a collective sense.

Listen below to the interview with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie and Proffessor Andre Duvenhage on Radio Islam’s podcast.