The ANC has been accused by one its MPs of taking her down one of its lists ahead of the national and provincial elections on May 29. Picture: Timothy Bernard/Independent Newspapers
THE ANC is facing another complaint from one of its candidates after the governing party allegedly altered its candidates list.
ANC MP Ponani Makhubele is unhappy after allegedly being sent down the pecking order by the ANC’s electoral committee headed by former deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe.
Makhubele said she was removed from below 100, and when she enquired she was told in black and white that she was actually at 114 but was somehow pushed back to 124 to accommodate other candidates.
Makhubele said: ”What puzzles me is how do they push me back as I’m a currency serving member of the sixth Parliament (2019-2024 term). The ANC has a standing principle that, among others, the list committee would consider and give priority to the following: continuity, women, qualifications and experience.“
Makhubele added: “I am a woman who was actually nominated by a majority of branches across the country, and I also even - according to a letter written by Chief Matsila, the secretary of the election commission, sent to me - was at 114 on the raw list.”
Makhubele said her demotion showed that not even the ANC led by President Cyril Ramaphosa was about renewal not like the committee led by Motlanthe.
”But then let’s say I was at 114, how do they explain moving me from 114 to 124 while I meet all the necessary requirements? The ANC continues to reward friends and those close to leadership.“
Makhubele said this was the second time she had been overlooked, after she was awarded an order in 2019 forcing the ANC reinstate and pay her R1.1 million for having removed her from the 2019 list.
”I also think they always find it easier to also deal with women as this is my second time. In 2019 I experienced the same. Since the 8th of March 2024 I have been trying to reach out to SGO (ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s office),the (ANC) presidency and TG (treasurer-general Dr Gwen Ramokgopa), none of whom has responded. Eeven the election commission took a month to respond to me,” she said.
Makhubele wrote to the ANC to express her pain and disappointment on how she was being treated by the party, and to request it to do justice to her.
She wanted to know why she was almost not called for interviews.
”It’s sign enough to show there have been intentions from the onset to isolate me.”
Makhubele said the ANC’s decision to demote her to 124 showed that the party hated her as it ignored its gender representativity requirements and continuity and pushed her back.
”I will not join groups of people who are fighting the ANC about the lists although I’m already receiving calls from KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, etc, about list complaints,” she said.
Electoral committee secretary Chief Livhuwani Matsila told the Sunday Independent they had provided Makhubele with clarity on the process and a final response.
The committee told Makhubele last month that she had been confirmed as 124 out of 200 candidates in the national-to-national list as approved by ANC leaders.
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