The African National Congress (ANC) Waterberg region in Limpopo has elected new leaders during an elective conference in Bela Bela. The neck-on-neck battle between two slates saw former Lephalale mayor, Jack Maeko elected as regional chairperson after seeing off Mogalakwena’s Matome Moremi-Tauatsoala.
Waterberg is the last ANC region to hold the conference in Limpopo, ahead of the National Elective Conference in December.
Newly elected ANC leaders in the Waterberg region say their priority is to rebuild the party and reclaim all municipalities the party lost since the 2016 local government elections.
The ruling party lost Modimolle-Mookgophong and Thabazimbi Local municipalities in the Waterberg District to DA-led coalition with EFF and Freedom Front Plus.
Former Lephalale mayor, Jack Maeko emerged as regional chairperson against Matome Moremi-Taueatsoala. Gloria Seleka is the only woman in the top five who is the newly-elected Treasurer.
“We have programs in place to ensure that we reclaim all the municipalities, Modimolle-Mookgophong municipality and Thabazimbi that were lost to DA, EFF led. So we’ve got programs in place that will ensure that there is hope, because if you can see the mode of the conference and the supporters of the ANC outside, they are happy, that the youngest person has been elected to the most powerful position in the region”, says newly elected regional secretary Rufus Magoro.
‘No animosity’
Meanwhile, Matome Moremi-Taueatswala, who lost the race for the chairperson position, says they will rally behind the elected leadership.
“Congratulations to the newly elected leadership of the region, led by comrades Jack Maeko. Indeed, I must confirm that I was one of the contestants. I was contesting as the chairperson. The ANC has won at the end of the day.”
“Our role is to support the leadership as elected and make sure that we consolidate each and every member of the ANC and supporters from the ANC in preparation for 2024, where everybody is prophecizing that the ANC is going to dwindle. So we must reclaim the lost ground, unite and stop bickering about things that will not assist the African National Congress”, says Taueatswala.
ANC Limpopo has also congratulated the newly elected leadership.
“We confirm that in the early hours of the morning, the original top five officials of the ANC were duly elected by the regional conference. The conference will resume with his business. My first meeting made nominations for other members of the regional executive committee. We also wish the new top five officials of the ANC Birbeck region all their best in their new responsibility. They have a duty to make sure that they unite the ANC, they play their political oversight, and do everything in the interest of the organisation,” says provincial spokesperson, Jimmy Machaka.
Service delivery
Some residents at Mokopane in the Waterberg District are calling upon the newly elected leadership to prioritise service delivery, particularly in the troubled Mogalakwena municipality.
“My message to the ANC is simply to empower the youth and make sure that there are necessary programmes to reach the youth because the youth have the power to vote. As a young person from Mokopane, I think the ANC should improve the service delivery”, says one resident.
ANC Limpopo Provincial Treasurer Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana officially closed the conference on Sunday evening following the election of additional executive members. The newly elected leadership will have a bearing on who the region supports in the coming ANC national elective conference in December.
