The Eastern Cape is likely to have a new premier after May 7 general elections, regardless of which political party wins the province after next month’s elections.
Eastern Cape Premier, Noxolo Kiviet, finds herself under a bit of pressure from her party. Having lost her seat in the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC), she now appears number 23 in the party provincial list.
Opposition parties on the other hand are making a race of it, throwing in heavyweights as their premier candidates for the Eastern Cape. The province has been the home to the ruling party for the past two decades.
ANC Youth League in the province has publicly come out in support of party chairperson, Phumulo Masualle to take over as premier
United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa has voiced keenness to take up the province’s premiership. Meanwhile, Eastern Cape Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Athol Trollip is the party’s provincial candidate.
The ruling party says it will worry about that after elections.
African National Congress (ANC) provincial secretary general, Oscar Mabuyane, says, “The leadership of the ANC in the province is going to seat down and look at all the issues that are in the guidelines and come up with three names and recommend those to the national leadership.”
However, DA’s Bobby Stevenson says, “Well I think having Athol Trollip as our premier candidate is a great asset to our party. He is the son of the soil of Eastern Cape, he is fluent in three key languages and that gives him the ability to establish relationships with a broad cross section of the community.”
ANC Youth League in the province has publicly come out in support of party chairperson, Phumulo Masualle to take over as premier.
Human Settlements MEC, Helen Sauls-August, and Local Government and Traditional Affairs Mlibo Qoboshiyane who are first and second on the list respectively are also considered as contenders.
– By Unathi Binqose
