Mantashe denies that he was forced to criticise Ramaphosa's preferred leadership
8 November 2017
Johannesburg - ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe has refuted claims that he was forced to criticise Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa for pronouncing on his preferred running mates for the December elective conference.
“Forced by who? Even those saying I was forced, they can't name anyone who supposedly forced me,” he said.
Ramaphosa announced on Sunday, in what has been seen in the #CR17 machinery as a “surprise and a blunder”, that branches should nominate Naledi Pandor as deputy president, Mantashe as national chair, Senzo Mchunu as secretary general and Paul Mashatile as treasurer-general.
The ANC said in a statement on Monday that the party’s 2015 National General Council outlawed slates and affirmed the role of branches in electing their preferred leadership.