Former Gauteng Premier and ANC veteran Tokyo Sexwale has recommended that Deputy President Paul Mashatile take over the reins of the ANC after the exit of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Speaking at the Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh’s podcast, SNWX, Sexwale expressed confidence in Mashatile, saying he performed well under his leadership in Gauteng.

Sexwale was elected the first premier of Gauteng in 1994 and appointed his inaugural Executive Council. At the time, Mashatile served as the MEC for Safety and Security.

He then moved to Housing in 1999 when Mbazima Shilowa took over from Sexwale.

"I know him, I have worked with him, we created Gauteng with him. These bullet trains were introduced by Mashatile, the Gauteng train is his, and many other things he did under my leadership.

"I trust him, I will vote, he can be defeated but one of the defeated votes will be mine," he said.

As Finance MEC between 2004 to 2008, Mashatile played a pivotal role in the planning and development of the Gautrain rapid-transit project.

Additionally, he established the Gauteng Shared Services Centre, aimed at centralising the budget allocations for provincial departments.

However, the centre has faced criticism for its inefficiencies and susceptibility to potential corrupt practices.

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In addressing how the process of electing Mashatile should unfold, Sexwale suggested the party tackle the precedent of forced early exits of ANC presidents in their last serving terms.

He recalled how the events unfolded after the 2007 ANC Polokwane elective conference.

Former President Thabo Mbeki was forced to leave office before the end of his term to make way for his successor, Jacob Zuma.

The same thing happened to Zuma but with different measures. Zuma was impeached over corruption allegations.

Sexwale said such things should come to an end.

"I saw what we did in Polokwane. It is not nice that each time, since Polokwane, every president must leave like a dog ... I would not want Ramaphosa to be driven out of office ... I don't want this trend that in South Africa a president is taken out," he said.

Sexwale stressed that this would show that they haven't learned anything from the past.

In December 2023, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said it was “wrong” and “reckless” for the party to remove Mbeki months before his term ended.

Meanwhile, Mbalula cautioned ANC members against publicly pronouncing the ANC's succession debate.

He stated that the focus should be on winning the local government elections.

“I am going to suppress them. You’d have never seen suppression in your life in the ANC, you are going to see that. Our preoccupation cannot be who is the leader,” he said.

Both Mbalula and Mashatile have ambitions of being president.

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thabo.makwakwa@iol.co.za

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