Ngcukayitobi raises his hand

The provincial secretary says he will accept nomination for chairperson of the ANC

- Mandisa Nyathi

Willing and ready: Provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi at a community meeting. Photo: ANC Amathole Region

(ANC Amathole Region)

Eastern Cape ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi has confirmed that he is willing to lead the party in the province should ANC branches nominate him for the position of provincial chairperson at an elective conference scheduled for May.

In an interview with the Mail & Guardian, Ngcukayitobi said he would accept nomination if it came through the organisation's formal structures.

"In our organisation, it is not about running, it is about availing yourself when the call has been made. If the branches call upon or make a request that I should be available, I will make myself available."

Ngcukayitobi said he would not publicly discuss competing ambitions in the provincial leadership, including those of leaders who have indicated availability for further terms. Leadership questions should be resolved through ANC processes rather than individual declarations.

The ANC in the Eastern Cape is preparing for a closely watched provincial conference, with leadership succession emerging as a central issue. There has been speculation about whether the current provincial chairperson and premier, Oscar Mabuyane, will make himself available for a third term.

Mabuyane was first elected ANC Eastern Cape chair by a landslide majority in 2017 after a violent process which saw a brawl break out between his supporters and those of a rival faction led by then premier Phumulo Masualle. Chairs were thrown and eight people injured during the scuffle.

Mabuyane has denied that he is seeking a third term as chair, saying he is not campaigning for the position. In recent media interviews, he said reports suggesting that he was positioning himself for another term were incorrect.