LESUFI LOSES ANC GAUTENG GRIP

The provincial task team convenor supposedly has the backing of only one region out of five ahead of the party’s provincial conference

A major political shift is currently underway in the African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng, with exclusive information confirming that the incumbent provincial task team convenor, Panyaza Lesufi, is on the brink of being decisively unseated at the party’s looming provincial elective conference in December. Sources deep within the ANC’s provincial structures have exclusively shared with The Gauteng Times that Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko’s slate is sweeping the regions, propelled by a deep-seated dissatisfaction among branch delegates with Lesufi’s governance record. According to the sources, Nkomo-Ralehoko is on course to win almost all the ANC’s regions in Gauteng, with Lesufi only expected to hold a narrow, symbolic victory in the Emfuleni sub-region within the broader Sedibeng region. While Lesufi, who is also the incumbent Premier, remains a popular public figure, his internal political currency has been severely devalued by a series of highly publicised but ultimately low-impact or failed government programmes, such as the flagship Nasi Ispani mass employment initiative. Launched with immense fanfare and promising jobs for the youth, internal dissenters and public critics alike have labelled Nasi Ispani a political gimmick that resulted in chaos - from delayed stipend payments to abrupt contract terminations [See page 5]. With the 2026 local elections swiftly approaching, this has fostered a perception that the ANC is merely exploiting the desperate need for employment for electoral gain. This “governance deficit,” as one insider termed it, provides the perfect political rallying cry for the rival faction, arguing that the ANC needs a disciplined hand to reverse the party’s electoral decline in the province. In contrast to Lesufi’s populist strategy, Nkomo-Ralehoko’s momentum is built on a solid foundation of rich administrative experience - a profile that perfectly counters the damaging chaos narrative. A long-standing member of the provincial legislature who has competently managed high-pressure portfolios, including Finance and e-Government, her political roots run just as deep. She has held several senior positions in the provinces ANC structures and well as in the party’s Women’s League. Should she accept her nomination as chairperson at the conference in December, Nkomo-Ralehoko will not only rise as the ANC’s ray of hope in restoring the public’s trust in the party but also become a benchmark for female representation in the organisation. Solidifying this structural takeover is the expected ascent of current Johannesburg Mayor, Dada Morero, who is positioned to become the new Provincial Secretary. Morero, a former COSAS leader and the current regional chairperson of the Greater Johannesburg Region, is an astute organiser known for his meticulous control of the party machinery. His path to the provincial office involves first securing his re-election at the Johannesburg regional conference in September. Once this powerful region is firmly under his control, Morero’s subsequent election as the Provincial Secretary in December is viewed as a certainty and indicates a fundamental and final shift in the balance of power on the ground. Placing both Nkomo-Ralehoko and Morero at the helm ensures the Mbalula-aligned faction captures both the political leadership and the administrative engine room, therefore guaranteeing total control over the future direction of the ANC in the country’s economic hub. For the ANC nationally, Lesufi’s predicted removal from the helm represents a devastating blow to Mashatile. This will have an adverse impact on Mashatile’s ANC presidency ambitions as the party looks ahead to its next national leadership contest in 2027.