ZIKALALA ’ S ELECTION FUELS RUMOURS OF RESHUFFLE

NOT only was KwaZulu-Natal premier Senzo Mchunu the biggest loser at the weekend’s provincial ANC conference, but several members of his cabinet were effectively wiped off the ruling party’s powerful decision-making body.

Six MECs are not part of the provincial executive committee and they will receive instruction from a relatively new leadership as the provincial executive committee (PEC) is now dominated by several powerful councillors and mayors.

Sihle Zikalala defeated his rival, Mchunu, to become the chairman of the party in the province at the weekend.

It was uncertain if Mchunu would be allowed to continue to serve out the rest of his term, which ends in 2019, as premier. But Zikalala ’ s election has fuelled speculation that a cabinet reshuffle might be in the works.

From Mchunu’s cabinet only Willies Mchunu, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Weziwe Thusi and Ravi Pillay were spared shame.

Economic development and tourism MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu, agriculture and rural development MEC Cyril Xaba, education MEC Peggy Nkonyeni, arts, culture, sports and recreation MEC Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha, and finance MEC Belinda Scott have not been re-elected into the PEC.

Although health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo was not part of the previous PEC, as it was formed while he was still an eThekwini regional chair, he had been expected to ascend, but was deemed too much of a Mchunu supporter.

Zikalala has denied that losers would be banished to political oblivion, saying there was nothing like that in the ANC.

Councillors in Zikalala’s PEC include Amajuba district (Newcastle) mayor Jabu Khumalo, Zululand district deputy mayor Ester Qwabe, Ladysmith mayor Vincent Madlala, uThukela district mayor Dudu Mazibuko, Jozini speaker Zanele Nyawo, uThungulu district (Richards Bay) whip Khulani Hadebe, Maphindi Zondi from Pietermaritzburg, Greater Kokstad mayor and former ANCYL secretary Bheki Mtolo and KwaDukuza exco councillor S’duduzo Gumede.

Three MPs – Mervin Dirks, Fikile Khumalo and Lindiwe Mjobo – were also included in the PEC. Another survivor from the last PEC was Bongi Sithole-Moloi MPL, a former uMgungundlovu mayor.

Interestingly, her husband Lucky Moloi, a Bhambatha regional secretary, was on Mchunu’s slate.

Other survivors were former ANCYL KZN chair Mxolisi Kaunda MPL, former ANC provincial secretary Sipho Gcabashe MPL, former MEC Maggie Govender MPL, ANC spokesman and MPL Senzo Mkhize, ANC Women ’ s League chair Celiwe Madlopha and former Vryheid regional chair Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu.