The contest for positions ahead of the ANC national elective conference is threatening to divide the party’s KwaZulu-Natal province which, five years ago, was left in tatters after the leadership battles in the province created hatred and animosity.
Despite the ANC provincial leadership having endorsed a slate, which includes former health minister, Zweli Mhize — who will be contesting for the ANC presidency, some of the key party members in KZN are questioning the motives behind the slate.
Zweli Mkhize preferred candidate
In announcing Mkhize as its preferred candidate, the KZN ANC PEC also endorsed former Gauteng premier, Paul Mashatile — who is vying for ANC deputy president position and former Eastern Cape premier, Phumulo Masualle, who the PEC wants elected the party’s next secretary general.
According to sources within the ANC in the province, some PEC members who were part of last week’s meeting which endorsed Mkhize, Mashatile and Masualle, were not happy about the PEC’s decision to back Masualle instead of the party’s former KZN secretary, Mdumiseni Ntuli.
Comrades are concerned that the PEC chose to rally behind a candidate from the Eastern Cape, when some ANC branches have made it clear that they want comrade Mdumiseni to contest the position of ANC SG (secretary general).
“What boggles the mind even more is the fact that ANC branches in other provinces have also endorsed comrade Mdumiseni, while not even a single ANC branch outside the Eastern Cape has endorsed comrade Phumolo,” a PEC member said.
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Division as heavyweights contesting for top positions
Threatening to further divide the ANC in KZN is the fact that other ANC heavyweights from the province: former KZN premier, Senzo Mchunu, and former AU chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, have shown an interest in contesting for top positions within the party.
Dlamini-Zuma, who is also the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) minister, will be contesting for the same position as Mkhize, while Mchunu is vying for the party’s deputy president position.
However, the KZN PEC has not endorsed the duo, a situation which is now threatening to tear the ANC in KZN apart ahead of the December national conference.
In a bid to avert divisions, the PEC during its meeting last week proposed that the party’s KZN top five provincial leadership structure should convene a meeting with Ntuli, Mchunu and Dlamini-Zuma.
PEC denies it is divided
ANC provincial spokesperson, Mafika Mndebele — who denied that the PEC was divided over the slate — confirmed that there were plans by the ANC KZN top leadership to meet with candidates from the province who are not part of the PEC’s slate.
We are going to call in our comrades and have a conversation on how we should move forward, particularly in ensuring that the ANC in KZN remains united despite the fact that more comrades in the province have raised their hands.
However, Mndebele made it clear that the PEC will not back down on its decision to endorse Mkhize, Masuelle, Mashatile and other ANC members in its slate.
The PEC has taken a firm decision and nothing will change that.
What we expect from comrades who are from this province and willing to contest is that they should be cognisant of the fact that the PEC has already announced its preferred candidate.
Yes, these comrades do have a right to contest but at the same time they have a duty to ensure that the ANC in KZN remains united.
In 2017, the ANC national leadership contest left the party’s KZN province divided.
As a result of the divisions within the ANC in KZN, neither Mkhize nor Dlamini-Zuma, were able to garner enough votes to defeat their main rival, President Cyril Ramaphosa — who went on to be elected the party’s president.
