Having secured his second term, President Cyril Ramaphosa now shifts his battle for control of the ANC to the composition of its all-powerful national executive committee.
The body made up of the seven office bearers and 80 additional members is the highest decision-making structure between conferences.
The NEC is expected to be at the heart of driving the anti-corruption efforts, including the prosecution of those implicated in the state capture report.
Already the new integrity committee to come out of this leadership is expected to begin its work by calling on 70 ANC members implicated in the state capture report to appear before it to explain themselves.
During his first term, Ramaphosa inherited an NEC made up of Jacob Zuma loyalists who challenged him at every turn.
This made it difficult for him to get rid of Zuma ministers from his cabinet.
A new NEC loyal to his vision will allow him to reshuffle his cabinet and get rid of rogues that undermine his authority.
The reshuffle is inevitable, with Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula moving to ANC headquarters as secretary-general.
The Ramaphosa NEC must also be composed of 50% women.
In his opening address to the 55th national conference, Ramaphosa said all ANC structures from national to a branch executive committee shall reflect gender parity.
A new national working committee will be made up of the 20 members, the top seven and three ex officio members representing the ANC Youth League, the ANC Women’s League and the ANC Veterans League.
These structures will be key to the ANC preparing to fight the biggest election of its 110-year history, with all odds pointing to the possibility of the party getting below 50% of the national vote.
Gauteng, the economic hub of the country, is expected to be governed by a coalition government after the 2024 national general elections.
The ANC national conference wraps up its work on Tuesday.
Pictured above: ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa
Image source: @MyANC
