Elias Sekgobelo Magashule (Ace)

Maine won the ANCYL presidency with the backing of the Premier League which is led by three powerful ANC provincial leaders: Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza North-West Premier Supra Mahumapelo and Free State Premier Ace Magashule (AC Vol 55 No 24 The succession war has begun)...

This informal group has been dubbed the 'Premier League' and it includes Free State's Ace Magashule Mpumalanga's David Mabuza and the North-West Province's Supra Mahumapelo...

They include ANC leaders Ace Magashule in Free State Supra Obakeng Ramoeletsi Mahumapelo (North-West) Mpumalanga's David Mabuza and Chupu Stanley Mathabatha of Limpopo plus KZN's provincial Minister of Transport Community Safety and Liaison Thembinkosi Willies Mchunu (AC Vol 52 No 7 Who's who in Zumaland)...

Several senior staff nonetheless confirmed to Africa Confidential that Motsoeneng was very close both to Zuma and to the Free State Premier and staunch Zuma-supporter Ace Magashule (AC Vol 50 No 17 So far so Zuma)...

They gave the son of Free State Premier Ace Magashule a job and a luxury car...

• Ace Magashule: The Free State Premier was once a fierce opponent of Thabo Mbeki...

Free State Premier Ace Magashule recently told a meeting in his province that 'Jacob Zuma is like Chris Hani...

In Free State late July's provincial congress elected two errant members of parliament Ace Magashule (as chairperson) and Pat Mathosa (to the Provincial Executive Committee) reviving squabbles from 1996...

Yet in the seven ANC-controlled provinces serious problems are emerging: Raymond Mhlaba was indecorously eased out of the Eastern Cape premiership; trickier still was the ousting of the popular Patrick 'Terror' Lekota from the Free State premiership after repeated clashes with ANC provincial Chairman Pat Matosa and deputy Chairman Ace Magashule...