Show of unity by provincial chairs is a farce

The show of unity by ANC provincial chairpersons will not take the governing party anywhere.

The party’s provincial chairs including Supra Mahumapelo, Paul Mashatile and Ace Magashule made a public appearance together in Mpumalanga on Saturday.

KwaZulu-Natal was represented by deputy chair Willies Mchunu.

They were invited by the provincial chairman David Mabuza to address ANC members.

They spoke about unity as the party has less than three months until its elective conference.

Mabuza is trying to be seen as a unifier leading up to the conference, which has about seven presidential candidates.

Their show of unity will not work as they differ on key issues.

They do not agree on what should happen to President Jacob Zuma, who has brought the governing party into disrepute.

They disagree on the Gupta family that has enriched Zuma, his family and some leaders that attended the meeting.

For instance, Magashule and Mahumapelo will never speak against the family as they have benefitted from them, while Mashatile and Mabuza want leaders to dissociate from the Guptas.

The section that does not support Zuma, which includes Mashatile, sees Zuma as above the law, while his supporters like Magashule and Mahumapelo always support him at the expense of the ANC.

Mabuza has been central in supporting Zuma, although now he is starting to think of life after Zuma. They also differ on how to clean up government and how to ensure the state does not employ incompetent people.

The question they must frankly answer is: what is the basis for unity? Will they allow power to be spread out?

Looking at the candidates, there is no combination that can work together should other candidates not be included in the new leadership.

If there could be an agreement that Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa work together as they are seen as frontrunners, then what will happen to Zweli Mkhize, or Lindiwe Sisulu?

Some of them cannot work with each other. Leaders like Mashatile, Magashule and Mabuza also want to be part of the top leadership.

Another problem is the killings in the ANC happens when there are disagreements on tenders and when leaders disagree on who should lead.

Political killings in KwaZuluNatal and Mpumalanga are now spreading to other provinces, with the latest in the Eastern Cape.

How does Mabuza preach unity to other leaders or tell them what to do when he himself has so much to answer for.

The ANC needs to be careful not to allow thugs to emerge as leaders in December, otherwise the public will reject the party in 2019.