Provincial Executive Committees of the African National Congress

Since its early history in the 1910s, the African National Congress (ANC) has had a quasi-federal structure, with an organisational hierarchy of local branches, regions, and provinces all falling under the overall leadership of the party's national executive. In its contemporary incarnation, the precise form of this hierarchy dates to the mid-1990s, when the party – recently unbanned by the apartheid government and returned from exile to South Africa – was restructured to align with the post-apartheid South African political system. The party therefore developed nine provincial branches which correspond to the nine provinces of South Africa. In each province, the ANC is led by a Provincial Executive Committee (PEC), which is described in the party's constitution as the party's "highest organ" in that province; the PECs are similar in structure (though inferior) to the party's National Executive Committee (PEC). In terms of the constitution, the PECs' functions include policy implementation, management of provincial party funds, and selection of provincial party candidates for government elections. Each PEC may also supervise and direct all ANC organs in its province, including local and regional party branches and ANC caucuses in provincial and local governments. In terms of the party constitution, PECs are ultimately subordinate to the NEC, which must ensure that they function "democratically and effectively" and which may suspend or dissolve any PEC "where necessary". == Top Five officials ==

Each PEC is led by the so-called "Top Five" officials in the province, who are elected with the rest of the PEC at the provincial conference. These are the chairperson, deputy chairperson, secretary, deputy secretary, and treasurer. A full-time salaried ANC functionary, and the election of Cyril Ramaphosa at the 54th National Conference in 2017. Each provincial chairperson and secretary is also an ex officio member of the NEC. == "Two centres of power" ==

In most phases of South Africa's post-apartheid history, it has been typical for the provincial chairperson of the ANC to become the ANC's candidate for the premiership, the head of the provincial executive, in the government of their respective province. Each premier is indirectly elected by the provincial legislature, but ANC legislative caucuses take their instructions from the party; the premier in turn has the power to appoint his provincial cabinet, the Executive Council, and typically appoints colleagues from the ANC PEC as provincial ministers. These norms are "a matter of stated convention not embedded in the law but consistent with it",''' After the 1994 election, only two ANC members – Raymond Mhlaba in the Eastern Cape and Mosuioa Lekota in the Free State – became premier in their respective provinces without winning election to the party chairmanship. Both Mhlaba and Lekota were given "special attention" by the national leadership, who lobbied for their election to the NEC at the party's 49th National Conference in December 1994. Provincial chairpersons would no longer automatically become the ANC's presumptive candidates for the premiership. Mbeki explained that the ANC was "more concerned with the ability to run the provincial administration than the popularity of the individual". The ANC and national media began to debate the so-called "two centres of power" theory, which held that the delinkage had created two centres of power in each province, one in the party and one in the state, which led to tensions within the party and undermined the efficacy and cohesiveness of governance by the state. In later years, Mbeki called this argument "faulty", said it had been "cooked up in order to achieve particular objectives", and defended his policy as necessary to entrench the separation of party and state. == List of current leaders ==

The current chairpersons of the ANC's nine provinces are: • Free State: Mxolisi Dukwana (2023–) • KwaZulu-Natal: Siboniso Duma (2022–) • North West: Nono Maloyi (2022–) • Mpumalanga: Mandla Ndlovu (acting 2018–2022, elected 2022–) • Gauteng: Panyaza Lesufi (2022–) • Eastern Cape: Oscar Mabuyane (2017–) • Western Cape: Vuyiso JJ Tyhalisisu (2023–) • Northern Cape: Zamani Saul (2017–) • Limpopo: Stan Mathabatha (2014–) == List of former leaders ==

In 2005, Edna Molewa of the North West became the first woman to hold a provincial chairmanship in the ANC; she remained the only woman to do so as of 2022. As of 2022, Ace Magashule held the party's record for longest tenure as provincial chairperson; he led the Free State province from 1998 to 2017, although during that period the NEC dissolved his PEC and replaced it with an interim body on more than one occasion. When the national executive takes this recourse, the term of the Top Five officials also end and the province is led by an unelected task team convenor rather than an elected chairperson. Free State KwaZulu-Natal The 20 additional members of the KwaZulu-Natal PEC as elected in 2012 were Senzo Mchunu, Siyabonga Cwele, Ina Cronje, Bheki Ntuli, Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha, Lydia Johnson, Ravi Pillay, Mildred Oliphant, Lungi Gcabashe, Jabu Khumalo, Mthandeni Dlungwane, Nomvuzo Shabalala, Ester Qwabe, Hlengiwe Mavimbela, Mxolisi Kaunda, Bongi Sithole, Senzo Mkhize, Lindiwe Njoko, Sipho Gcabashe, and Nigel Gumede.'''''' The 30 additional members elected in 2015 (and removed in 2018) were Fikile Khumalo, Bheki Mtolo, Mervyn Dirks, Lydia Johnson, Makhosi Zungu, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, Weziwe Thusi, Duduzile Mazibuko, Nontembeko Boyce, Celiwe Madlopha, Maggie Govender, Makhoni Ntuli, Khulani Hadebe, Mkhawuleni Khumalo, Vincent Madlala, Siphindile Zondi, Arthur Zwane, Zanele Nyawo, Jabu Khumalo, Bongi Sithole-Moloi, Senzo Mkhize, Sipho Gcabashe, Mxolisi Kaunda, Sduduzo Gumede, Mdumiseni Ntuli, Meshack Radebe, Lindiwe Mjobo, Ravi Pillay, Phumzile Zulu, and Ester Qwabe. The 30 additional members elected in 2022 were Peggy Nkonyeni, Mdumiseni Ntuli, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Nonhlanhla Khoza, Nhlakanipho Ntombela, Super Zuma, Nomakiki Majola, Nobuhle Nkabane, Bheki Ntuli, Nolubabalo Mthembu, Ndodephethe Mthethwa, Sizophila Mkhize, Mafika Mndebele, Khonza Ngidi, Jomo Sibiya, Celiwe Madlopha, Sbongile Khathi, Ntobeko Boyce, Makhosi Zungu, Londolo Zungu, Masenti Myeni, Kwazi Mshengu, Mxolisi Kaunda, Mbali Frazer, Bongi Moloi, Amanda Mapena, Mzi Zuma, Zinhle Cele and Tholi Gwala. North West Mpumalanga Gauteng The 30 additional members of the Gauteng PEC as elected in 2018 were Ntombi Mekgwe, Khusela Diko, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, Lebogang Maile, Matome Chiloane, Boyce Maneli, Robert Mashego, Bandile Masuku, Rebecca Digamela, Tasneem Motara, Judith Tshabalala, Refiloe Kekana, Pretty Xaba, Mapiti Matsena, Bones Modise, Lindiwe Lasindwa, Dolly Ledwaba, Ezra Letsoalo, Peace Mabe, Dipuo Mvelase, Tshilidzi Munyai, Qedani Mahlangu, Kedibone Diale, Mbali Hlophe, Nomvuyo Mhlakaza, Mzi Khumalo, Morakane Mosupyoe, Hope Papo, Brian Hlongwa, and Gogo Ndlovana. The 30 additional members of the Gauteng PEC as elected in 2022 were Bandile Masuku, Lebogang Maile, Mbali Hlophe, Nomathemba Mokgethi, Matome Chiloane, Nomvuyo Mhlakaza, Mzi Khumalo, Paul Mojapelo, Tebogo Letsie, Ntombi Mekgwe, Peace Mabe, Khusela Diko, Kedibone Diale, Nathi Congwane, Nonceba Molwele, Greg Schneemann, Judith Tshabalala, Joyce Boshomane, Vuyo Mhaga, Lesego Makhubela, Honours Mukhari, Thulani Ndlovu, Bones Modise, Ezra Letsoalo, Tshilidzi Munyai, Jane Mananiso, Pretty Xaba, Andiswa Mosai, Rebecca Digamela, and Gogo Ndlovana. Eastern Cape The 30 additional members of the Eastern Cape PEC as elected in 2022 were Fundile Gade, Bukiwe Fanta, Nonceba Kontsiwe, Nqabisa Gantsho, Loyiso Magqashela, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Nomakhosazana Meth, Xolile Nqatha, Lindelwa Dunjwa, Lindiwe Gunuza, Sixolile Mehlomakhulu, Sisisi Tolashe, William Ngozi, Nanziwe Rulashe, Yanga Zicina, Nonkqubela Pieters, Virginia Camealio-Benjamin, Clara Yekiso, Avela Mjajubana, Sindile Toni, Thandekile Sabisa, Siphokazi Mani-Lusithi, Nozibele Nyalambisa, Thokozile Sokanyile, Nontuthuzelo Maqubela, Mthetheleli Sam, Nomhle Sango, Siyabulela Zangqa, Mpumelelo Khuzwayo, and Andile Lungisa. Western Cape Northern Cape Limpopo The 30 additional members of the Limpopo PEC as elected in 2018 were Dickson Masemola, Phophi Ramathuba, Thabo Mokone, Rodgers Monama, Jerry Ndou, Nkakareng Rakgoale, Falaza Mdaka, Polly Boshielo, Mapula Mokaba, Seaparo Sekoati, Donald Selamolela, Joshua Matlou, Tolly Mashamaite, Nandi Ndalane, Thandi Moraka, Lehlogonolo Masoga, Kennedy Tshivase, Simon Mathe, Rudolph Phala, Rosinah Mogotlane, Sarah Lamola, Violet Mathye, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, Makoma Makhurupetje, Johanna Aphiri, Andrina Matsimela, Lilliet Mamaregane, Maria Thamaga, Monicca Mochadi and Caroline Mahasela. The 30 additional members of the Limpopo PEC as elected in 2022 were Phophi Ramathuba, Makoma Makhurupetje, Thabo Mokone, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, Rodgers Monama, Nkakareng Rakgoale, Jimmy Machaka, Falaza Mdaka, Simon Mathe, Morris Mataboge, Bella Kupa, Kate Bilankulu, Mapula Mokaba, Caroline Mahasela, Mpho Mudau, Maria Thamaga, Essop Mokgonyana, Jeremiah Ngobeni, Violet Mathye, Rosemary Molapo, Cherries Pokane, Kedibone Lebea, Reggie Mokokomme, Solomon Pheedi, Kathutshelo Netshifefe, Soviet Lekganyane, Frans Mokwele, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Maropene Ramokgopa and Sunny Dlovu. == See also ==