Zuma backers plot beyond Zikalala
Some ANC leaders in KZN want to promote him out of province
● Supporters of former president Jacob Zuma in KwaZulu-Natal have been lobbying for their leader Sihle Zikalala to be elevated to the national government to make way for a younger leader who they hope will be able to unite provincial party structures.
It has emerged that regional leaders from the province lobbied party structures before and after the ANC national conference in December to consider replacing Zikalala with Mthandeni Dlungwane, who is education MEC and chair of the ANC Moses Mabhida region.
But Zikalala is likely to be re-elected to his powerful position should the province meet all the conditions to hold its elective conference later this month.
Cracks are emerging in the Zuma camp in KwaZulu-Natal over the composition of Zikalala’s provincial executive. Some want all the previous top officials to be re-elected, while others are pushing for younger leaders to be accommodated.
Some within the party started discussing life after Zikalala as early as last year. According to insiders, the plan was to wait for the provincial executive committee to finish its term.
However, the plan was aborted after the national executive committee suspended the provincial executive committee, replacing it with an interim structure.
The Sunday Times spoke to several leaders who claimed they had been approached by ANC Ukhahlamba chairman Sipho Hlomuka and asked to support Dlungwane. But this week Hlomuka denied having made any such approaches and pledged his support for Zikalala. Zikalala declined to comment.
The Sunday Times can reveal that Dlungwane was briefed about the plan. However, sources close to him say he turned it down.
“Comrades told Mthandeni to avail himself for the position,” one said.
“But he felt that you don’t just get rid of someone as popular as Sihle because you’ll create more divisions. He advised that to ensure unity, we should do what we did with Zweli [Mkhize] and promote Sihle to national before he can stand.”
But Dlungwane’s detractors say the plan collapsed after he realised that he would not have enough time to campaign as the suspension meant that a provincial conference had to be held within three months.
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal remains divided along the same fault lines that existed before the Nasrec conference in December. Those who support President Cyril Ramaphosa complain that they are being sidelined, citing irregularities and gatekeeping in party branches.
The national working committee this week instructed the provincial task team to resolve complaints raised in four of the 11 regions so the province can hold a provincial conference from May 18 to 20.
One anti-Zikalala party leader said that group would not field a candidate should its complaints remain unresolved. This group is believed to support former eThekwini mayor
To ensure unity, we should do what we did with Zweli [Mkhize] He felt that you don’t just get rid of someone as popular as Sihle because you’ll create more divisions
James Nxumalo as a rival to Zikalala.
The ANC Youth League in the province, which normally backs Zikalala, is said to be in disarray with its provincial executive split down the middle.
One group backs provincial secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo to succeed league president Collen Maine, while others support treasurer-general Reggie Nkabinde. The provincial executive has failed to hold its routine monthly meeting for the past two months.