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Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi guns for ANC Deputy President position

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Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi says she is equally capable of assuming a higher position within the ANC as her male counterparts.

Kubayi is vying for the Deputy President position in the party against the incumbent, David Mabuza; Paul Mashatile, Ronald Lamola and Oscar Mabuyane.

This, as the party is set to hold its 55th elective conference in December.

Kubayi accepted a nomination from her branch earlier this year and speaking to SABC News, she says she is both a credible and competent candidate.

“I have an equal chance like him, if not more into the conference. Looking at the nomination, they are saying differently from what provinces have said. In terms of credibility, judging me by my age, I think I have a good standing. Judging me for who I stand for and what I stand for, I think I am competent, and I can be able to challenge. I don’t think I stand as a candidate that’s not fit in that position, I think the difference between me and them is that they are men, and I am a woman.”

In conversation with the ANC deputy president hopeful Mmamoloko Kubayi:

Kubayi has endorsed the much-contested step-aside resolution of the party. The policy, adopted at the ANC’s 54th conference, has caused further rifts within the already divided party. Despite this, it was rubber-stamped at the party’s policy conference earlier this year.

It is, however, expected to be reviewed at the party’s elective conference in December. The conferences of the ANC are the highest decision-making body of the party outside of the NEC. And as the race to the party’s 55th conference gets underway, Kubayi says the renewal of the party is paramount.

“The ANC renewal is important. The issues that are non-negotiable in terms of standing against the issues of corruption. The rule of step-aside is very critical as well, as a sign of renewal. The minute you are hanged, NPA says you have a case to answer before either a magistrate or a judge, definitely you have to step aside. Then the context of this was happening, it was the issue that let’s take away the t-shirt of the ANC from courts because when people say the ANC is corrupt, they are seeing these t-shirts, they are seeing the logo of the ANC worn in courts in support of those that are alleged to have wrongdoing.”

Kubayi says the criticism of the ANC and its leaders by former party Presidents should not be so easily dismissed.

She says reproval by former leaders should be welcomed should it benefit the party.

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa was heavily criticised for the state of the ANC and Government by former Presidents Thabo Mbeki; Jacob Zuma and Kgalema Motlanthe.

Zuma said his successor is corrupt and must be charged for treason while Mbeki said the president had failed to handle the 2020 theft at his Phala Phala farm well.

Several provinces including KZN, the Northwest and Limpopo have slammed the former leaders for publicly criticising Ramaphosa. Whilst Kubayi says public spats do not bode well for the party, there should be a differentiation with criticism that seeks to correct the party.

“If you look at former presidents, I think for me the boundaries would be what they are saying. Is it in the interest of the ANC and general society? So there’s a difference when a leader speaks, because they are pained by seeing wrong things happening and therefore, they want to see improvement and a difference when a leader would attack another… It’s not only about former leaders but also current leadership, when we have a public spat, it doesn’t help the organisation, but it destroys the organisation”.

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