The African National Congress (ANC) "slate politics” will plunge the ruling party into a deeper crisis than it is experiencing presently, party presidential hopeful Lindiwe Sisulu said after she was not named among leading contender Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s “winning team”.

”Unfortunately, the recent pronouncement of a slate can only plunge our movement further into the quagmire of disunity and divisions currently plaguing our body politic. It is tragic that USA-styled politics, which was alien to the ANC tradition, has gained traction is some sections of our movement,” said Sisulu.

”When all is said and done, ownership of the elective conference is with the ANC branches, and already, a significant part of these branches have decided on their leadership preferences.”

Announcing his running mates at a weekend rally in Sekhukhune, Limpopo, Ramaphosa named Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor as his choice for deputy president.

The former union leader further announced that his “winning team” would also include Senzo Mchunu, who was removed as KwaZulu-Natal Premier last year, as a candidate for secretary-general, Gwede Mantashe as national chairperson and ANC chairperson in Gauteng, Paul Mashatile, as treasurer-general.

Ramaphosa and former African Union chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma are front runners to take over from President Jacob Zuma at the ANC elective conference to be held in Johannesburg next month.

Sisulu’s apparent “snub” caught many by surprise as she was reportedly set to become Ramaphosa’s deputy – that is if he wins the polls to lead the ANC.

The human settlements minister has in recent weeks said she has no plans to be anyone’s deputy and was instead in the race to win it. Sisulu was nominated to run for party president by several ANC Women’s League regions in the Eastern Cape.