Branch disputes hobble KZN
ANC team set to the province to resolve issues
Almost 100 KwaZulu-Natal branches have lodged appeals against the nomination process for leadership in the runup to next month’s elective conference.
The faction supporting President Jacob Zuma’s preferred candidate, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, is relying heavily on the support of KwaZulu-Natal, the party’s biggest and most influential province.
The province is said to be split in its support for DlaminiZuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
An ANC national executive committee (NEC) member who spoke to Sowetan said the more than 100 appeals could “change the landscape” for the Dlamini-Zuma camp.
There were some “troublesome” regions which included eThekwini and Umzimkhulu.
“All other regions are doing well in terms of CR,” the NEC member said.
“The worst situation is 60%, but we expect 50/50.”
Sowetan understands the ANC has deployed a team to KZN to deal with the disputes.
The branch nomination process officially closed on Wednesday but structures were allowed to conclude meetingswhichwere set up to take place over the weekend.
ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said the party was still waiting for reports from the provinces on the branch general meetings (BGMs) and did not have numbers on how many had completed the nomination process or how many disputes had been lodged.
The ANC’s NEC is set to meet again this weekend.
It is not clear what will hap- pen to branches that missed the deadline for nominations.
Sthembiso Mshengu‚ the spokesman for the disgruntled group in the province, who are applicants in the ongoing court saga between the so-called rebels who support Ramaphosa and the provincial executive committee, confirmed that there were a number of disputes, mainly lodged by those who believe “that the future is comrade Ramaphosa”.
The dispute resolution committee was busy processing grievances and a decision was expected in a day or two.
Mshengu said the worst case scenario for the Ramaphosa camp was 45% to 55%.
“Obviously, with DlaminiZuma with an edge given the fact that the unlawful provincial executive committee (PEC) is dealing with the province, they have been in charge of the BGMs and all of that,” Mshengu said.
The Pietermaritzburg High Court ruled that the outcome of the 2015 provincial conference – which saw Sihle Zikalala, a staunch Zuma supporter, win the chairmanship of the province – be declared null and void.
This is being appealed by the PEC, with the backing of Zuma, and will be heard on November 30.
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‘‘ The party was still waiting for reports from the provinces