A "third way" has emerged in the ANC succession battle as the Alfred Nzo region in the Eastern Cape raised the name of treasurer general Zweli Mkhize as its pick for party president when the party elects a successor to President Jacob Zuma in December. The region held its elective conference this week and emerged with a decision to lobby branches to support Mkhize when nominations open in September. The Mkhize slate also includes ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe and ANC Gauteng chairman Paul Mashatile. Deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa and former African Union chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma were seen as the front-runners in the race, but Mkhize’s entry is set to split support for both candidates in the party’s largest provinces, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

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