Pretoria – The former MEC of Education in Gauteng is now the premier of the province following the resignation of David Makhura on Tuesday.
Panyaza Lesufi was elected premier during a special sitting of the provincial legislature on Thursday.
Makhura served in the office from May 2014 to October 2022.
He was re-elected to the position in May 2019.
Speaking to eNCA, political analyst Thabo Shole-Mashao said the decision to have Lesufi lead the province was a mature move by the ANC considering how gruelling the 2024 elections might be for the governing party.
“The ANC introspected and reflected heavily on the possible outcomes of the elections… They decided to put their best foot forward to make sure there’s a spring in their electoral step in convincing the people of Gauteng to consider them given that in the previous election they managed to survive by the skin of the teeth with 50.1%,” he said.
Shole-Mashao said Lesufi was now the billboard of the ANC in the 2024 elections.
“It was a very matured move and that has to be commended … I know a lot of people are seeing it as shifting of powers, but strategically speaking, this simply means Panyaza has about 20 months to tell the people of Gauteng why they should consider the ANC again in 2024.”
Lesufi was elected as Gauteng ANC chairperson at a provincial elective conference held in June. He defeated Lebogang Maile in a close contest for the top position in Gauteng.
IOL