ANC backs Dlamini Zuma to lead party

THE ANC in KwaZuluNatal, the biggest province of the governing party by numbers, has officially endorsed former AU Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma to be the next party president.

Addressing eThekwini’s ANC regional general council in Durban yesterday, Nontembeko Boyce, a member of the party’s provincial executive committee (PEC), threw her weight behind Dlamini Zuma.

The ANC KZN is the first to give Dlamini Zuma the nod. This was after the Northern Cape backed Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to succeed President Jacob Zuma in December.

ANC KZN’s regional general council was held to finalise policy issues they wanted supported at the party’s provincial general council (PGC) taking place this weekend at the University of Zululand.

As custodians of the ANC, branches would be visited by the PEC to request “comrade Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma to be released to be the president”, said Boyce.

She said Dlamini Zuma had the capacity to become as influential as longest serving ANC president Oliver Tambo.

“We said we want the type of leadership that is going to turn around the situation in the movement. We want a leadership that is going to work effectively to change the challenges of the ANC to be the success stories of the ANC,” she said.

Dlamini Zuma has already been endorsed by the ANC Women’s League, Youth League and Umkhonto We Sizwe Military Veterans Association.

Last week the ANCYL also released a list of other leaders it wanted to lead with Dlamini Zuma, including Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza as deputy president, Free State Premier Ace Magashule as secretary-general, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa as national chairperson, International Relations Minister Maite Nkoane-Mashabane as treasurer-general, and deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte to retain her position.

ANC eThekwini regional chairperson Zandile Gumede said the region had not made up its mind about other people to serve in the top six but was sure of Dlamini Zuma.

Swipe

In a veiled swipe at Dlamini Zuma’s competitor, Ramaphosa, Gumede said: “You should not vote for the rich to lead our movement because even the Bible said they will never see the kingdom of heaven.”

However, Ramaphosa enjoys support from a disgruntled grouping aligned to former KZN premier Senzo Mchunu. The faction has taken the provincial leadership to court over their election.

Gumede said the PGC should put on its agenda the issue of a media tribunal, to be debated at the party national policy conference taking place later this month.

She said the matter had been left unimplemented after it had been “endorsed by previous policy conferences”.

“In Polokwane we said that Parliament must take a decision on a media tribunal and do away with self regulation. But nothing has happened.

“We went back to Mangaung and made the same decision, but still nothing has happened.”