WATCH | Ramathuba elected ANC Limpopo chair as unity slate prevails

A unity slate has emerged at the ANC Limpopo conference where all the names that were nominated at the branch level were elected unopposed.

Phophi Ramathuba has been elected as the first female chairperson of the ANC in Limpopo, the only ANC province that received more than 70% support at the 2024 national and provincial elections.

Limpopo heavyweight John Mpe was elected unopposed as the deputy chairperson of the province while Reuben Madadzhe was re-elected as the provincial secretary also unopposed.

The rest of the top five, which includes Pule Shai as the deputy provincial secretary and Eddie Maila as provincial treasurer, were also elected unopposed.

The five regions in Limpopo intervened ahead of the conference to thwart was to become a bruising contest between Ramathuba and Mpe.

The battle on the ground between the supporters of Ramathuba and Mpe had become uncontrollable and likely to highly divide the province.

Chairpersons and secretaries of the regions came together to convince the two leaders to form a unity slate telling them that a contestation between them would leave the province more divided than ever before.

They involved national leaders including second deputy secretary Maropene Ramokgopa in convincing them to run uncontested.

Getting into conference at the Pietersburg Cricket Club in Polokwane, it was evident that the conference would be uncontested when all the delegates arrived wearing the same t-shirts.

The adoption of credentials within 20 minutes was a further indication that there would not be a bruising contest.

Delegates sang unity songs, including the popular “sithetha intwenye savumelana (we spoke the same thing and agreed) to seal that the outcome of this conference mirrors the agreement they had coming into the conference.