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OPINION

Mpumalanga’s role in the post liberation South African politics has always been negligible. During national conferences delegates from the province were only expected to second motions from other provinces.

How things have changed! The province has no fewer than five directly elected members of the African National Congress’s National Executive Committee and one National Working Committee member and a cabinet minister.

But, who would have expected that the province would also be the battlefield for political proxy wars?

It’s difficult to trace where it exactly started, however, it reached impetus in the build up to the National Congress of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), when the league’s president, Julius Malema, reportedly told his troops to install “proper” leadership in the province.

"We are asking proper politics. Mpumalanga must get proper leadership, we cannot be led by people interfering in the affairs of the youth," he was quoted as saying in a daily newspaper.

Malema’s call followed allegations that ANC leaders in the province bribed delegates to vote against Malema at the league’s national congress in June this year.

The first casualty was Ehlanzeni Regional Executive Committee which was dissolved after they reportedly defied a provincial congress resolution to support Malema for a second term as president. The resolution also supported both Jacob Zuma and David Mabuza for second terms.

Things changed, however, when the youth league accused ANC leaders of interfering in their affairs.

Provincial secretary, Johan Mkhatshwa is the latest casualty following his suspension from the organisation last week, for his“inability to carry out the tasks of the youth league,” according to league’s national spokesperson, Magdalene Moonsamy.

Mkhatshwa, however, claims he was kicked out because he supported Mabuza.

Since then, twelve other leaders of the ANCYL provincial executive committee in the province have resigned in solidarity with Mkhatshwa.

The league members, led by Mkhatshwa, organised a meeting of Ehlanzeni branches where they resolved that Ehlanzeni would be a no-go area for the league’s national leadership.

Most interestingly, however, the league wants ANC Secretary General, Gwede Mantashe to intervene!

Once upon a time, it was clear that Mantashe was on his way out of the ANC to be replaced by Fikile Mbalula. At least that was the ANCYL’s position. The only organisations that expressed their outrage were the South African Communist Party (SACP) and its youth wing, the Young Communist League (YCL).

When it became clear that President Jacob Zuma was also not guaranteed his second term, things changed.

Mantashe is in a precarious situation. Many activists who are Mabuza’s victims in Mpumalanga have been sending delegations and letters to Mantashe’s office, but they all fell on deaf ears!

If he intervenes now, the explanation would be there for everyone to see – that he intervenes because his position is also at stake.

While there were reports that Mabuza has been sending his troops to Limpopo province to try and unseat Cassel Mathale, who is Julius Malema’s ally, as things stand now, Mpumalanga seems to be the main battlefield for Mangaung 2012.

As the proxy war rages on in Mpumalanga, Mkhatshwa’s family is uncertain whether or not he will receive his salary at the end of the month. Mkhatshwa should, however, find solace that in any war, there would always be casualties, and that casualties are usually on both sides.