South Africa’s ANC Rebukes Deputy President on Re-Election Bid

(Bloomberg) -- South Africa’s ruling African National Congress reprimanded it’s deputy leader for publicly stating that he’ll make himself available for re-election at the party’s national congress in December next year.

The ANC won’t seek an apology from David Mabuza, who is also the nation’s deputy president, but has “called him to order,” as it looks to put a lid on the succession debate while it campaigns for a Nov. 1 municipal vote, Fikile Mbalula, the party’s head of elections, told reporters. “We will have the whole year to discuss leadership,” he said.

Mabuza recently told journalists that he won’t impose himself on ANC members, but he’ll run again if they ask him to do so. President Cyril Ramaphosa is also widely expected to seek a second term as party leader, a post he first won in late 2017, although he hasn’t declared his candidacy.

The ANC has led the country since apartheid ended in 1994, and its leader has traditionally been succeeded as president by his deputy. 

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