By Thabo Monyela
TZANEEN- The African National Congress (ANC)’s the most influential region in Limpopo province, Norman Mashabane is set to hold its 8th elective conference this coming weekend from 11 to 13 June 2021 at Karibu Leisure Resort in Greater Tzaneen.
Norman Mashabane is the biggest region in Limpopo with 129 branches.
On Friday, all the delegates from various qualified branches are expected to flock to the Karibu resort in their Green, Black and Yellow regalia where the incumbent regional Chairperson Pule Shayi is expected to declare the conference quorating, meanwhile, on Sunday, the conference will then undergo the elections of the new leadership of the Regional executive committee.
The slate of Pule Shayi who is the incumbent regional chairperson of Norman Mashabane and the executive Mayor of Mopani District Municipality, Wisani Goodman Mitileni a member of the Limpopo Provincial legislature, and Dagma Mamanyoha from Greater Letaba Municipality look like they are cruising very well with tremendous numbers towards the conference.
VENUE READY: The Karibu Liesure Resort will host the conference
Shayi is expected to retain his chairmanship position ahead of the region’s current acting secretary and Greater Letaba Municipality Mayor Peter Matlou and Goodman Mtileni for Secretary and Dagma as the Deputy.
The contenders who are intensifying to take key positions are Gerson Molapisane who is the current regional treasurer and Maripe Mangena who is a Mayor of Greater Tzaneen Municipality and also Mark Shope sub-region Chairperson for the position of Deputy Chairperson.
Various Sub-regions across the region hold a differing view on the names of Mangena and Molapisane for Pule Shayi’s deputy chairperson.
The majority of delegates in Greater Letaba and Tzaneen are for the name of Molapisane for Deputy Chairperson while in Giyani, Maruleng and Phalaborwa are divided with the contend. With the position of the regional treasury, Blantina Raganya the current REC member is expected to go head-on with Maruleng Local Municipality mayor, Dipuo Thobejane.
An insider informed the publication that
Raganya will emerge to the position ahead of Thobejane and she is expected to be elected as an executive member of the regional committee.
“Pule is a Goodman for Dagma” slate had qualified for the conference’s threshold while other the countering slate is still struggling to meet the threshold with the great exception of Maripe and Matlou while the likes of City Modjadji looks like the numbers are not in their favour to get threshold.
The other names which are expected to be elected in the executive committee are David Maake from Ba-Phalaborwa, Grace Selowa from Greater Letaba Municipality, Greater Giyani Municipality mayor Basani Agnes Shibambu, Masilo “King Solomon” Maloko.
King Solomon of ward 14 branches in Tzaneen, has informed Tzaneen Voice that they are rallying behind Gerson Molapisane in the position of Deputy Chairperson.
“The reason why lots of branch delegates are rallying behind Cde Pule is that he is always pregnant with solutions, more especially to the youth” Mpho Ramamaputla, an activist from ward 22 Moss Motshekga branch under Greater Letaba Municipality said.
The Tzaneen Voice source who agreed to speak out of anonimity told the publication that some of Pule’s cabal are hard at work to out both Mangena and Matlou as the Mayors of both Greater Tzaneen and Letaba Municipality after the upcoming local government elections, labeling them as incompetent in their administrations.
The Regional Spokesperson Sonia Ngobeni has warned those with ambitions to lead the region going forward to desist from dangling the delegates with the carrot.
“We plead with the delegates to represent the views of their respective branches and avoid being bought by those who wish to be in leadership”. Ngobeni said.
She further confirmed the region is prepared and ready to host the conference this weekend. “I can confirm that we have reached the conference’s threshold with more than 70%.” She concluded.
