Money used in Gumede ANC saga, say supporters
IN A SHOW of strength in the face of a strong challenge from their internal opponents, the Zandile Gumede faction in the ANC eThekwini region wants her to come back as regional chairperson, insisting the axed Durban mayor is innocent until proven guilty.
The faction also warned of a possible use of money to influence members of the party as the region heads for the crucial elective conference before December.
About 2500 members of the faction met at the Durban University of Technology yesterday to map a way forward. While Gumede was expected to show up, she did not, leaving everything to her close confidants who are mainly councillors in the city of eThekwini.
Speaking at the gathering of the branches and members, ANC regional leader Xolani Mzobe warned that as they approached the conference, like in the 2017 Nasrec conference, money would be used to sway delegates.
“Money will be thrown around as we head for the conference. Because you need it, take that money, but then proceed to do the right thing,” he said.
Mzobe, who comes from the Musa Nciki faction which has since joined forces with the Gumede faction, warned that the “winner takes all” mentality was creating instability and preached unity.
Thabani Sicwala, a prominent backer of Gumede who is also branch chairperson, announced that while they were still in talks with other factions, they had agreed to re-elect Gumede as regional chairperson. The slate is punting Nciki as regional secretary.
“We’ve just commenced with our engagements and the engagements are about unity. We do believe our comrade chairperson (Gumede) in the eThekwini region, the one who is being persecuted, must come back as the regional chairperson of the ANC…
“I’ve said the engagements are still at their early stages; there’s the crucial office of the secretary and during our engagement we believe we should get Musa Nciki,” Sicwala said.
Nciki is replacing former regional secretary Bheki Ntuli, who is now flirting with the Thabani Nyawose faction. The Nyawose faction yesterday held a cadres’ forum in uMlazi.
Meanwhile, the axing of Gumede, who rocked the boat when she withdrew her resignation on Wednesday, will today be discussed at Luthuli House between the KZN ANC top five and the national top six.
The party’s provincial spokesperson, Ricardo Mthembu, told Independent Media that despite Gumede’s appeal to the top six, the city would have a new mayor by mid-week.
Asked whether they had a back-up plan should Mxolisi Kaunda – the mayoral candidate of the ANC – withdraw due to the uncertainty, Mthembu said while that would be a surprise, they had enough people to deploy to the position. “We’d be surprised to have a candidate who’s being sent by the ANC saying he’s not available. We’ll replace him with another candidate… there are many people except (for) Kaunda.”
Kaunda, who is the MEC for Transport, will be deputised by Belinda Scott, a former finance MEC, and the speaker will be former KZN MEC for social development Weziwe Thusi.
The backers of Gumede are adamant she is not refusing to step down but she wants the party to follow all due processes so as not to create a precedent where the provincial executive committee can fire mayors.
Mzomuhle Dube, one of the confidants of Gumede, said once that was done, the mayor would then vacate her position. “If we allow someone to wake up and take a bush knife to hack someone in front of the world, we’ll set a precedent whereby higher structures would be allowed to fire people for no reason. We have to protect one another,” Dube said, adding they had suspicions the issue against Gumede was personal.
Dube denied allegations that Gumede was refusing to leave office. “We’ve never defied the ANC as they always claim. We don’t contest that a person serves at the ANC’s behest.”