Shilowa successor nominated

2008-10-01 22:09

Johannesburg - The ANC leadership in Gauteng on Wednesday nominated three people to succeed outgoing premier Mbhazima Shilowa.

"ANC provincial executive committee has reached a unanimous decision on the three names in order of priority that will be forwarded to be considered by the national ANC leadership for the position of premier of Gauteng," said spokesperson Nkenke Kekana in a statement.

Shilowa resigned on Monday out of loyalty to ousted president Thabo Mbeki and because he did not want to be "in constant battles" with the ANC leadership.

"I am resigning due to my convictions that while the ANC has the right to recall any of its deployed cadres, the decision needs to be based on solid facts, be fair and just.

"I also did not feel that I will be able to, with conviction, publicly explain or defend the NEC's decision on comrade Thabo Mbeki.

"You stand by your own if you think they've been wrongly dealt with. I'm doing no more than that," he added.

The ANC, in a statement on Tuesday, said it "disapprove of this unbecoming behaviour of a long-serving ANC member".

- SAPA