--- title: "Veterans Dugmore and Rasool enter Parliament battle as parties ink their lists" description: "At a time when the ANC is facing a decline in national electoral support, former Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool is set to make a return to the party." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "ROAD TO 2024 ELECTIONS" author: "Velani Ludidi" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/velani-ludidi/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-03-08-veterans-dugmore-and-rasool-enter-parliament-battle-as-parties-ink-their-lists/" published: "2024-03-08T15:52:32" updated: "2024-03-08T16:03:39" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 543 --- # Veterans Dugmore and Rasool enter Parliament battle as parties ink their lists > At a time when the ANC is facing a decline in national electoral support, former Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool is set to make a return to the party. By Velani Ludidi · Published 8 March 2024, 17:52 SAST · Updated 8 March 2024, 18:03 SAST ## Key points - Former Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool is poised for a political comeback as the ANC in the province eyes him for a spot in the National Assembly, alongside a list of other potential candidates, amid a backdrop of ANC internal dynamics and declining party support in the Western Cape, where the ANC is looking to leverage the popularity of International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor to boost its appeal in the region. - Former Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool poised for political comeback as ANC considers him for National Assembly candidacy. - List of potential candidates includes prominent figures like Derek Appel, Cameron Dugmore, and Thandi Manikivana. - ANC's NEC expected to announce final candidate list soon, with focus on boosting support amid declining fortunes in Western Cape. - International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor's role in pro-Palestine agenda key for ANC's campaign strategy in Cape Town. ## Content Former Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool looks set to return to active politics as the ANC in the Western Cape is sending his name to the list of candidates to stand for the National Assembly. *Daily Maverick* has seen the list that Theewaterskloof Municipality Speaker and ANC provincial treasurer Derek Appel leads. Cameron Dugmore who has been the leader of the opposition in the provincial legislature is also among the names suggested for moving to the national parliament. The list includes Thandi Manikivana, Wendy Plaatjies, Sharon Davids, Major Sokopo, Mathilda Bains, Boy Manqoba and Bheki Hadebe. Rasool was recalled as premier following the watershed [2007 Polokwane conference](https://www.anc1912.org.za/national-conferences-2007/) where Jacob Zuma was elected to lead the organisation. Allegations surfaced in 2005 that Rasool was [colluding](https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/reporter-i-was-paid-to-pursue-rasool-agenda-488472) with journalists who wrote favourable articles about him — which played a part in his removal. Rasool, who has represented the ANC in parliament before, served as ambassador to the United States between 2010 and 2015. **Read more about Rasool and the ANC campaigns in previous elections here**: [Ebrahim Rasool returns as ANC gets serious about reclaiming Western Cape](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-04-23-ebrahim-rasool-returns-as-anc-gets-serious-about-reclaiming-western-cape/) Ayanda Bans, deputy secretary of the party, leads the 15-member list of province-to-province candidates followed by Rachel Windvogel, Benson Ngqentsu, Khalid Sayed and Pat Lekker. The ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) is expected to make an announcement on its candidate list following deliberations that lasted until the early hours of Friday. The deadline to submit lists to the IEC is 5pm. **Read more in Daily Maverick:**[ANC’s Gigaba, Mahlobo, Kodwa, and Frolick recommended for Parliamentary list chop amid NEC objections](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-03-08-ancs-gigaba-mahlobo-kodwa-and-frolick-recommended-for-chop-amid-nec-objections/) Surprisingly, provincial chairperson [JJ Tyhalisisu](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-06-27-new-anc-western-cape-leader-vuyiso-jj-tyhalisisu-vows-to-fight-party-factionalism/) does not appear on either the provincial to national parliament list or the list for provincial legislature representatives. Dugmore declined to confirm that he and Rasool form part of the list, saying he could not comment on the party lists until the ANC has made them public. While ranked number four on the provincial list, Sayed is being touted as the party's premier candidate. *Daily Maverick* understands that various civil societies that are aligned with the ANC have requested the national leadership to consider Sayed as the face of the Western Cape campaign. In the previous elections in 2019, for ANC leader in the City of Cape Town council, Xolani Sotashe was the premier candidate. #### **Fading fortunes** Overall, ANC support has been dipping — in the last national elections in the Western Cape in 2019, the ANC garnered just more than 28% of the vote — down from a high of 45.2% in 2004. The majority party, the DA attained 55.45% in the previous national and provincial elections in 2019. **Read more in Daily Maverick:**[Middle East crisis news hub](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/middle-east-crisis-news-hub/) The party is expected to depend heavily on [International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-10-18-naledi-pandor-denies-supporting-hamas-attack-on-israel/) in its campaign in Cape Town as it explores ways to attract voters. Pandor is popular in the Cape Town Muslim community and her relentless fight for a cease-fire in Gaza has boosted her support in the province that is led by the DA, which is not pro-Palestine. **Read more in Daily Maverick:**[ANC’s Pandor pledges party support to push pro-Palestine agenda at Lenasia event](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-03-07-ancs-pandor-pledges-party-support-to-push-pro-palestine-agenda-at-lenasia-event/) Immediate attempts to get comment from Rasool were unsuccessful. **DM** [Media on Daily Maverick: "Election questions 2024"](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-03-08-veterans-dugmore-and-rasool-enter-parliament-battle-as-parties-ink-their-lists/)