Pretoria - The special national executive committee (NEC) of the African National Congress convened in Pretoria on Monday - the first meeting of the governing party's top structure after the May 8 general elections - to only discuss members who will serve as premiers in eight provinces, according to secretary general Ace Magashule.
"This is a special NEC. We are just discussing the issue of premiers-elect. You know in terms of the conference resolutions, the provinces must give us three names. The provinces have done so. We have engaged with them [the nominated individuals] but the decision making body on this matter is the national executive committee. The NEC [meeting] has started now, we are going to engage," Magashule briefly addressed journalists in Pretoria.
He said journalists would get an update on the outcome of the engagements on Tuesday.
"That's the purpose of this special NEC. Only one item, the issue of premiers in provinces and of course the leader of the opposition in Western Cape," said Magashule.
Asked if the ruling party would not be doing an autopsy of the results of the election, Magashule responded: "We are going to have a fully-fledged national executive committee [meeting] because we have to analyze each and every aspect of the elections outcomes. Not today".
The May 8 tightly-contested elections were the sixth consecutive victory for the liberation movement since 1994, but support for the ruling party reduced as the ANC received 57.5 percent.
The party has been dogged by deep divisions and numerous scandals in the recent past.
Media houses have been reporting on fissures between Magashule and President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Magashule, however, dismissed the rumours on Monday.
"There is no fallout between me and the president. We work as the leadership of the ANC, we are a collective and we move as such. So I don't want to listen to rumours and stories that you don't know where they come from. We are working very well with the president of the ANC," said Magashule.
The NEC received three names as recommended by the following are the nominated Premier Candidates:
• Eastern Cape – Oscar Mabuyane
• Free State – Sisisi Ntombela
• Gauteng – David Makhura
• KwaZulu Natal – Sihle Zikalala
• Limpopo – Stan Mathabathe
• Mpumalanga – Refilwe Mtsweni
• Northern Cape - Zamani Saul