The succession race divides Northern Cape
NDZ rally on cards after Ramaphosa’s visit on Sunday
The ANC’s succession battle has taken a turn in Northern Cape, with former AU Commission chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s supporters planning a big rally to counter the event which was addressed by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday.
Ramaphosa delivered a keynote address at the ANC Cadres Forum in Kimberley.
The forum, which was clearly a big show of force by the Ramaphosa camp, was attended by throngs of ANC members, including the ANC Youth League, ANC Women’s League and Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association.
ANC Francis Baard regional chairman Thapelo Dithebe, a Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma backer, told Sowetan they were planning to invite her to the province.
“We want to fill the Galeshewe Stadium. The campaign for Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to be the next ANC president is unstoppable. We are the majority in the REC (regional executive committee). That Cadres Forum was postponed several times and they even bussed in people from other provinces,” Dithebe said.
Dithebe also said Dlamini-Zuma supporters were being quietly purged from provincial structures.
Dlamini-Zuma was herself in the province during the Women’s Day celebration last month.
The ANC in Northern Cape, under the tutelage of Zamani Saul, a known Ramaphosa supporter, wants to ensure Ramaphosa emerges victorious at the upcoming national elective conference in December.
The leadership race has divided Francis Baard, the ANC’s biggest region in Northern Cape. The region incorporates Kimberley.
Yesterday, Saul described as “nonsense” any suggestion that people were bussed in from other provinces. “There were less than 20 people from Free State who came in a kombi,” Saul said.
“All the people who attended are from Northern Cape.”
Francis Baard regional secretary Webster Dichaba, who is in the CR17 camp, said the Cadres Forum was not a factional gathering.
Dichaba said they were implementing the mandate of the 8th provincial conference which said Ramaphosa should take over from President Jacob Zuma.