Dirty tricks before ANC conference
THE ANC in Kwazulu-natal has been rocked by claims that senior leaders were using strong-arm tactics to block their rival from being elected in the coming provincial conference.
With just six days until the conference gets under way in Durban, allegations have emerged that two senior KZN politicians have colluded with the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to charge chairperson candidate, Finance MEC Nomusa Dubencube.
Although there have been several slates doing the rounds in the build-up to the conference, which will take place from Friday until Sunday at the Olive Convention Centre, Durban, the front runners for the position include the incumbent chairperson Sihle Zikalala, who was seeking re-election, businessman and Amazulu Football Club owner Sandile Zungu and Dube-ncube.
The newly elected chairperson would play a crucial role in the ANC’S national conference, set to take place in December, in deciding the ruling party’s next president.
In a message circulating on chat platform Whatsapp, it was alleged that leaked recordings and Whatsapp conversations reveal a plot by two senior KZN politicians, purported to be Zikalala and Zungu, to use state organs to block ANC provincial treasurer Dube-ncube from contesting.
Dube-ncube’s camp yesterday said that they were aware that law enforcement agencies had approached Dubencube, only a few days ago.
Wiseman Ngobese, Dube-ncube’s chief lobbyist and campaign manager, said that such developments were worrying.
“The timing has left us, as comrades across the province, with a distinct impression that there is an orchestrated attempt to unleash the judiciary in order to achieve a particular conference outcome.
“Undoubtedly, if this matter is not handled properly, it will compromise the integrity of the conference. At this
stage, we request further enquiries to be directed at Comrade Nomusa Dubencube’s office until we have engaged her and the branches,” Ngobese said.
Nathi Olifant, Dube-ncube’s spokesperson in the Finance Ministry, confirmed that she had been approached by law enforcement agencies. “We prefer not to comment any further,” Olifant said.
According to one of the Whatsapp conversations, allegedly between Zikalala and Zungu there was a discussion on how to remove Dube-ncube, because of fears that she would win.
“The plan is that the Hawks and the NPA should create charges against Nomusa Dube-ncube before the Friday conference, and they are scrambling to put together a case. Once charged, Nomusa Dube-ncube would be forced to comply with the NEC amended step-aside rule and not contest,” reads the Whatsapp message.
In another message, the KZN leader was alleged to have said: “We have agreed that I should not be challenged, but Nomusa is now running a very strong underground campaign that would be highly problematic for our situation. Once she is charged, even if she proves her innocence later ... the conference would be done.”
The message from the alleged Whatsapp chat between the leaders went on to read: “Uzandile (Gumede) uphunyukile (slipped through) for the (ethekwini ANC) regional conference, but at least she’s stopped from participating in the provincial conference. unomusa must not slip through like Zandile, we can’t have that!”
The leaked Whatsapp message further revealed that some officials were instructed to find “dirt on her” from the departments of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, or anywhere Dube-ncube had worked before, so that a “legitimate-looking charge” would be created.
“Law enforcement agencies have been instructed to obtain affidavits from Dube-ncube,” the message reads.
It also alleged that the soccer boss-cum-politician responded with laughing emojis, and thumbs up, responding: “Ha ha ha! Shlalo (chairperson), they were busy discouraging me to stand and if I agreed, there would be two split campaigns.”
It is alleged that Zungu said: “A Nomusa campaign against you alone would have been a problem because of this whole rumour that silahle (deserted) ubaba (former president Jacob Zuma)... and Nomusa is clean. No one perceived to have ill-treated unxamalala (Zuma) survives politically.”
When approached for comment by the Sunday Tribune, Zikalala said that he was aware of the allegations and that this had to be taken up with law enforcement authorities to verify its authenticity and deal with those involved if it was true.
“But also if not authentic, there should be an investigation on where it comes from,” Zikalala said.
Zungu scoffed at the allegations, saying that they were not worthy of being dignified with a response.
“It’s very amateurish, it would be a very funny story if it was not this childish and amateurish,” Zungu said.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Thandi Mbambo said they were not aware of charges against Dube-ncube.
The NPA did not respond at the time of publication.