The Dlamini-Zuma camp is trying to woo Mantashe

Get ready for a lot more stories like this in the next few months, because there’s a leadership race to look forward to and things are gonna get lit.

ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe is emerging as a key figure in the ANC succession battle. He was one of the bigwigs who spoke out against president Jacob Zuma’s cabinet reshuffle, but as the saying goes: a day is a long time in politics.

According to a report in this weekend’s City Press, presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s lobbyists is trying to woo Mantashe with promises of becoming deputy president as the race for ANC presidency hots up.

The paper reported that KwaZulu-Natal ANC chairperson Sihle Zikalala and some of his lieutenants met Mantashe recently to try and sway him. The City Press says Mantashe turned down the offer.

Mantashe reportedly prefers the idea of being deputy under Cyril Ramaphosa. He is also concerned about Free State premier and provincial chairperson Ace Magashule’s close ties to the Gupta family. Magashule has been reportedly been confirmed for the role of as secretary-general under Dlamini-Zuma.

Different people from the DZ camp have told different versions of events. One source said Mantashe agreed and the other said he turned down the offer.

And, while Mantashe himself confirmed that the meeting took place, he said that it was nothing more than “comrades engaging with each other” and that there was no bargaining for positions going on.

From the City Press’ report, it seems nothing is set in stone. Voting blocs are biding their time and dangling all sorts of possibilities in front of the potential candidates.

The paper also noted:

Up until now, all regions in KwaZulu-Natal have been silent on their positions. Even Zuma’s own region – Musa Dladla in the north of the province – has not backed her.