ANC pillars are wobblier than ever ahead of conference, giving Ramaphosa room to scheme

• GABON - Marc Tchango, Ali Bongo's spokesman in Port Gentil
  

• MOROCCO - Mehdi Alj, following in his father's footsteps to head the Sanam empire

• SOUTH AFRICA - Joy Maimela, head honcho at the ANC's new youth league

• DR CONGO - Eric Tshikuma, journalist, entrepreneur, and now MP
  

• GUINEA - Djami Diallo, key to negotiations on the Simandou iron ore project

• KENYA - Ogutu Okudo, oil specialist and Odinga's spin doctor

• SOUTH AFRICA - Maropene Ramokgopa, the pro-Ramaphosa leader of the ANC Women's League

• GHANA - Tawiah Agyarko-Kwarteng, social and environmental spokesperson for the cocoa industry

• MOROCCO - Ali Seddiki, a pillar for Minister Mohcine Jazouli.

• CHAD - From Paris to Abidjan, Succès Masra's grand promotional tour.
  

• UGANDA - Doreen Nyanjura, Deputy Lord Mayor of Kampala follows in Kizza Besigye's footsteps.

• SOUTH AFRICA - Ronald Lamola, Ramaphosa's ambitious justice minister.

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South African Lephalale Mining expands its platinum holdings 

Lephalale Mining, which is in the process of obtaining a platinum licence in the mountains of northern Zimbabwe, is headed by Steve Bosch, a long-time supporter of South Africa's ruling ANC party.

Nine months before ANC elects 'top six', local branches stuck in mud 

The African National Congress is set to renew its leadership in December, yet the local conferences that must happen beforehand, are not taking place, due to lack of funding and intense rivalries.