SANCO in NW endorses Premier Mokgosi as next ANC provincial chair

The South African National Civics Organisation (SANCO) in the North West has endorsed Premier Lazarus Mokgosi as the ANC’s next provincial chairperson.

Mokgosi, who is currently the deputy chairperson, was appointed premier after last year’s national and provincial elections.

The ANC in the province is expected to hold its conference next year, which will among others elect a new leadership. The term of office of the current Provincial Executive Committee (PEC), expires next year.

Lobbying and succession debates seem to be well under way within the ANC in the province. This as the party prepares for next year’s provincial conference.

SANCO, which has disengaged from all ANC activities in the province, has thrown its weight behind Mokgosi to take over from Nono Maloyi as the chairperson.

“When SANCO call you, you respected the call. Premier continues to respect our communities. Continue to make sure when there is a problem you go there and address those problems. We have seen you premier, we have seen you as SANCO and we feel at some point when the ANC is sober, because the ANC in this province is drunk now when its sober, they give you the responsibility to lead this province as the chairperson,” says SANCO NW Chairperson Tshepo Khoza.

The organisation has promised to campaign for Mokgosi to be elected the chairperson of the ANC in the province next year.

“Comrades that are here, they are coming from different ANC branches. We are going to speak to them that we go to the provincial conference, we are going to vote for comrade Lazzy as the provincial chair of the ANC in the province,” Khoza added.

Meanwhile, a political analyst says SANCO’s pronouncement signals that they want to consolidate their position within the ANC-led alliance in the province.

“So, you clearly see that the 2026 conference, the rally is already beginning as well as the contestation is already beginning. So, I think this is part of that particular engagement for them to say that we need our voice to be heard and this is part of those reasons that they would say that they want to support the current premier to ascend as the chairperson. I think it’s that stance to say they want their voices to be heard, and they want to see to what extent do they still hold the power or does the ANC still value the relationship in as far as SANCO is concerned,” says political analyst Thabang Motswaledi.

SANCO is the first structure in the North West to openly pronounce its preferred candidate.