31 ANC veteran leaders decline nomination for Parliament seat

The African National Congress (ANC) has announced that 31 of its senior leaders, who have served the party for decades, are not returning to Parliament and will retire from politics.

Presidency for Women and Children, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, are some of the names that will not be returning to Parliament after the elections in May.

THIRTY ONE COMRADES DECLINED THE NOMINATION

“Thirty-one comrades declined nomination; amongst those are comrades who have served the movement admirably for decades and to whom we owe a sincere debt of gratitude for their contribution to shaping the first 30 years of South African democracy,” said ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri on Friday, March 2024.

She said that while the party’s Electoral Committee, chaired by Kgalema Motlanthe, had completed its process of selecting candidates for Parliament and provincial legislatures, 31 candidates had declined nominations to return to Parliament.

GORDHAN TO RETIRE FROM ACTIVE POLITICS

According to the Independent Online, the Department of Public Enterprises confirmed that Gordhan was retiring from active politics.

“This announcement that the minister intends to retire from active politics following the upcoming elections is emblematic of the minister’s desire to be candid so that all critical constituencies that relate to his current portfolio are sufficiently informed of his plans.

“Secondly, the announcement to set in motion processes to ensure a smooth transition for the minister and the department, as it is often the case at the end of every administration,” said the department.

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