The Star newspaper quoted the league’s provincial chairwoman, Celiwe Madlopha, as saying it would also back businessman Cyril Ramaphosa as deputy president, Baleka Mbete as chairwoman, and Gwede Mantashe as secretary-general.

KwaZulu-Natal premier Zweli Mkhize was nominated as treasurer general at a nominations conference in Pietermaritzburg, and Jesse Duarte as deputy secretary-general.

According to The Star the ANC’s Liliesleaf Farm branch, based in Midrand, had nominated Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe for ANC leader.

The ruling party will elect new leaders at its national conference in Mangaung in the Free State in December.

“As a leader of society, the ANC is requesting comrade Kgalema as a matter of urgency to restore that lost confidence, lest we go through the same political cul-de-sac that all African liberation movements went through after their 20 years in power, or lose to the DA in 2014,” The Star quoted from a statement by the branch.