ANC flag outside Luthuli House. Picture: Michel Bega While much of the talk around who will replace ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has centred around his deputy, Paul Mashatile, and party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, a third candidate has emerged. National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza has reportedly joined the race for the ANC’s top job, and has the backing of some party bigwigs.
TheSunday Timesreported that she has already been introduced to potential funders. The concern, the paper’s source adds, is that she may not have the backing of ordinary members and will struggle to garner support from provinces. Her candidacy is reportedly backed by Ramaphosa, who had previously wanted Senzo Mchunu to succeed him.
The police minister was placed on special leave by the president in July amid claims of corruption, political interference, and criminal collusion. The allegations against him, which he has denied, have sparked a judicial commission of inquiry and a Parliamentary ad-hoc committee to investigate rot in the SA Police Service. Still, his name may later re-emerge in the months leading to the ANC elective conference in 2027. Speaking on Ramaphosa’s successor, ANC stalwart Mathews Phosa previously told The Citizen that he is confident “when that time comes, the right leader of the ANC will emerge.” “That leader may or may not be a member of the current NEC, but they will emerge at the right time to rescue the party from its current leadership crisis, corruption and factionalism.
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