‘ANC will deal with KZN crisis’

ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize said yesterday the ruling party will soon deal with the leadership contest in KwaZulu-Natal in a bid to prevent the political fallout spilling over into the smooth running of government.

This comes after the Pietermaritzburg High Court declared “unlawful and void” the 2015 conference that elected the ANC provincial executive committee in KZN where former chairperson Senzo Mchunu was ousted and replaced with Sihle Zikalala.

The court ruling, which came as a result of some branches challenging irregularities in the running of the conference, threw a spanner in the works for the upcoming 54th national conference of the ANC in December, where new leadership will be elected.

The ANC in KZN has vowed to appeal the court ruling despite the party’s national executive council not giving it its blessing.

Mkhize said that it was a “critical issue” to avoid disruption of the conference as a result of leadership squabbles in provinces.

“We need to ensure that we get all the parties involved in the situation in KwaZulu-Natal and get our legal opinions in place to ensure that the decision that the NEC takes avoids any contamination of conference and electoral processes. Election of leadership should not be contaminated with the outcome of the court case,” Mkhize said.

“In terms of the national conference, we will do everything to avoid disruption and to ensure credibility and impeccable processes that will lead to election of leadership. We will not allow anything to stand in the way for a credible outcome of conference and successful uniting conference.”

Mkhize was speaking on the sidelines of the South African Metals and Engineering Indaba in Sandton.

He said the ANC needed to embark on a programme to re-educate its members on the values of the party and take “corrective steps” against the culprits who manipulate membership and branch processes, as well as those who dispense patronage.

“We need to correct the perceptions that public monies are used for private gain and then reignite growth.”

He also said they should invite members of the ANC back who had “retreated because of various reasons”. –