The fight for the positions of deputy chairperson and deputy secretary of the ANC's Vhembe regional council is intensifying. Two factions exist, each supporting their own candidates for the 20 May elections to be held at a venue still to be decided.
Following the murder of the previous deputy secretary and Collins Chabane mayor, Moses Maluleke, last year and the death of the deputy chairperson of the regional ANC, Adv Makonde Mathivha, two vacant positions in the regional structure exist. The Vhembe region is Limpopo's second-biggest ANC constituency.
Sources from within the party said this week that two factions had openly pledged their support to their candidates. The faction led by the current regional chairperson, Mr Tshitereke Matibe, wants Makhado Mayor Samuel Munyai to be deputy chairperson and Miyelani Chauke to serve as deputy secretary. The other faction, led by regional secretary Mr Rudzani Ludere, is backing Vhembe Mayor Dowelani Nenguda as deputy chairperson and Collins Chabane Mayor Shadrack Maluleke as deputy secretary.
Dowelani Nenguda is generally considered as the favourite to fill the vacant position. He is the longest-serving regional member in Vhembe and is said to have support from many of the branches. Some of these branch members said that Nenguda brought stability to the Vhembe District Municipality and he had the ability to unite people along tribal lines.
Munyai, on the other hand, has proven to be very popular with most branches.